Curious Smile
by smileplease91
Summary: There is just not enough fanfics for Henry and MU!F! out there, so here's one of my own. Renamed Avatar (don't like the name Robin, so it's Elena). Warning: Chapter 3 has some sexual discussion in it, but it's all amongst the ladies.
1. Care

It was a curious thing, him constantly wanting to be around her. Not that she minded; she enjoyed his company. However, at first, that was a different story. Certainly, his love for death, macabre, and weirdness caught her off guard, and the unvarying smile on his face made her question his true motives, but she learned to look past those things and become his friend. By her side, always helping her in battle or cleaning, or finding new tactical books, he was no doubt useful. Not to mention his jokes; she was a sucker for corny jokes. She had even become friends with the flock of crows that always seemed to linger around the camp since he arrived.

Henry was a one of a kind young man, and despite his oddness, he was loved and respected by the Shepherds. It took some time for people to trust him due to his past alliance with Plegia, but when Panne revealed that he was the one to have warned her about Emmeryn's assassination, Chrom warmed up to him quickly. It did not take much time for Henry and Ricken to become best friends, and even Frederick became his confidant. Ricken looked up to the Dark Mage, whom had taught him so much about magic so quickly; at his and Nowi's wedding, Henry had stood by his side as his best man.

Not only was it curious that Henry wanted to be around her, but it was even more curious that she thought about him when he wasn't. As expected as a Shepherd, people took turns for the nightly watch; it was always in pairings, for one should never be alone. When it was his turn, she cared about his safety, and did not sleep well until she saw his was all right the following morning.

She thought about him as she sharpened her sword; she had decided to take the path of Hero instead of a Grandmaster. Henry, on the other hand, had become a Sorcerer. It was his turn again to be the night watch, and he had taken it alongside Ricken. Too deep in thought, she did not hear the flap to her tent open.

"Hey-o, Elena!"

Startled, she dropped the sword onto the ground and looked behind her to see Henry.

"Haha, whoopsie. Looks like I scared you," he laughed.

"Just… a bit," she breathed. He walked to her, bent down, and picked up her sword for her. He handed it to her, and she nodded in thanks. "How was the watch?"

"Uneventful. Even my crows were bored. They were just looking for something to CAWse a battle," Henry replied. Elena giggled; him and his crow jokes. "Ricken never seems to run out of things to talk about, either. He and Nowi are perfect for each other, haha."

"Aren't they, though?" Elena found herself giggle again.

"Boy, but Elena, you look beat. Did you not sleep last night?"

"Oh, I just was… sharpening my sword."

"All night? Must be pretty sharp by now! Ooo, it could probably cut a Risen clear in half!" Henry awed. "When you try it out, make sure I'm there!"

"You're always with me during battles anyway, Henry. You'll see it, I promise."

"Awesome!" Henry smiled at her, to which she returned the smile.

She rose to her feet and put the sword down on the chair she had been sitting on. Henry was a good foot and a half taller than she was, and her long, red hair cascaded down her back. Her brown eyes seemed to always be vigilant, but they also held compassion and love for her fellow soldiers. It amazed him how much she cared about others, and how she went out of her way to ensure everyone's happiness and wellbeing.

She started to walk toward him, but she suddenly froze, her face quickly and oddly changing to a look of utter horror. He saw her take a couple steps back and point at him with a shaky hand.

"What? Am I turning into a crow? Please tell me I'm turning into a crow!"

"B-b-b-BUG!" she squealed.

"A bug? Where?"

"ON YOUR SHOULDER!"

Henry looked on his left shoulder to see a Rhinoceros Beetle, and a big one at that. "Well, would you look at that?" he said as he stepped toward her.

"Do NOT bring that thing over here!" she panicked.

"Oh, come on, Elena, no need to be so CAWtious," he joked.

"This is not the time for jokes, Henry!"

Henry reached a hand up to his shoulder, and the beetle crawled on it. He brought the hand to in front of his face and examined it. "He's harmless! Just look at him."

"I will NOT. Oh GODS, look how huge!" Elena backed away further. "Get it out of my tent!"

"Okay, okay," he agreed. He walked to the flap, opened it, and held his hand out. The beetle flew away, and he closed the flap and turned to face her. "Bye-bye, Mr. Beetle." It was obvious she was upset, and for what reason, he did not know. "Don't worry, Elena, he's gone."

Her furrowed eyebrows eased, and soon, she found herself to be laughing. Henry raised an eyebrow, totally confused; just a second ago, she had been upset, and now she was laughing.

"Boy, you sure are crazy, you know that?" he spoke.

"I'm sorry," she giggled. "It was just so funny."

He stared at her a moment, then found himself to be laughing as well. "It is. You sure can kick some Risen butt, but bugs are a completely different story."

They laughed for a brief moment more. They found that with each other, laughter was a common event. It was a small blessing to have, during the time of war. Any time they could catch reprieve and enjoy each other's company they would seize the opportunity immediately. Moments not spent together felt almost wasted.

Elena made her way to him and looked up at him. "Thank you, Henry."

"No thanks needed! I'll gladly help you, Elena. Whatever you need," he said.

Warmness spread throughout her chest, and she found herself smiling at him. While smiles between the two were common, this smile was different and held so much more. Realizing that she more than likely looked stupid with a goofy smile on her face, she looked away.

"You should get some sleep while you can, Henry. We'll be pulling out of here soon."

"Yes, ma'am," he nodded. "See you in a bit."

Several days passed, and battles were fought, mostly with Risen. As usual, Henry and Elena fought side by side. While she was excellent with a sword, Henry's magic was impressively powerful. It seemed like a perfect duo; when she would attack, she would move to the side for Henry to use a spell. Often, he would protect her from an enemy assault by jumping in front of her and casting a barrier; it worried her when he would do this. It was a cycle, one that they were used to. It always worked, so no one complained.

But this battle was different. She should have been paying attention better, but she was distracted by the Risen that was in front of her. Behind her, she heard a grunt, a lightning spell cast, then a Risen moaning as it perished. Once she defeated her enemy, which was the last one, she turned to see Henry's back to her, his cape hiding him from her view.

"Henry?" she called. He did not reply, so she walked in front of him, shocked to see a deep wound on his side, which he held with his right hand. "Henry! You're hurt!"

"Seems so. Look at all this blood!" Henry said with a smile; it was not a mystery that his pain receptors were didn't function properly. "I wonder how much there is?"

"S-stay right here. I'm going to get Lissa," she ordered.

"Yes, ma'am," Henry nodded, ever so obedient. His legs shook, and he nearly fell off his feet. "Um, actually, I think I'll sit down."

As hastily as she could, she found Lissa and had her follow her to Henry. Miraculously, he was still conscious when they arrived, so Lissa healed him just enough to where the bleeding would stop. Once they returned to camp, she examined his wound more thoroughly and did what she could. It would leave a scar. Not that he minded; he, of course, thought it was awesome. Weak from blood loss, Lissa had him stay in the medical tent over night to keep a watch on him.

It was a sleepless night for Elena.

When morning arrived, she was still awake. In efforts to keep Henry's injury off her mind, she had taken out all her tactical books and alphabetized them. Then categorized them from most to least efficient. Then re-alphabetized them. She was working on putting them back up when Henry walked into her tent.

"Hey-o, Elena," he greeted. She turned around to see his usual smile, and she felt her heart ache. She could have lost him, and it would have been her fault. Sensing her distress, he walked up to her. "What's the matter? You didn't sleep again, huh? You look like a Risen right now."

"You sure know what to say to flatter a girl," Elena joked. "It's nothing."

"Well, I get the feeling that something's wrong. Did someone hurt you? I'll hex them into next week."

"It's nothing, Henry," she denied.

Henry's eyes met hers, and she could tell that he was studying her over to try to find what was wrong. Of course, he would never figure out that she had been concerned for him, and blamed herself for his wound; he never really thought about himself much. Unable to discern her troubles, he gave up.

"Y'okay!" He looked around her tent to see all her books out. "Cleaning out? Need some help?"

"I'm fine. You just got out of the medical tent; get some rest."

"But, I'm perfectly fine," he argued. "Let me help. If not, this is gonna take forever, and you'll miss breakfast. Perhaps even dinner."

How could someone be so crazy and so amazing at the same time? He wasn't normal- far from it, as a matter of fact. When she was around him, her stomach felt as though a million butterflies flew around inside, and her heart felt warm. Sure, he would worry her with his… oddness, but Tharja was much more concerning than he was. And when he was injured the day before, it scared the hell out of her. She had seen her fellow soldiers wounded before, and indeed, she worried. Yet, when he had been hurt, it was all she could do to not cry.

"Olivia and Donnel are getting married in three days," she heard Henry speak, breaking her out of her train of thought. She looked at him to see him putting some of her books in a crate.

"Oh, really? Aww, good for them! They're cute together," she beamed.

Most of the Shepherds were married already: Chrom and Sumia, Ricken and Nowi, Gaius and Sully, Stahl and Lissa, Maribelle and Vaike, Lon'qu and Cherche, Cordelia and Kellam, Tharja and Virion, Panne and Frederick, and Miriel and Gregor had all found love. Elena thought about marriage often, and if she would ever have someone fall for her. Libra seemed interested in her, but she never thought of him that way.

"Yup! They asked if we would come. Sort of hard not to, considering they're getting married in the camp, nya ha."

"I'm definitely going," Elena smiled widely, returning to her task. "I bet Olivia is going to be beautiful."

She unexpectedly heard some books fall to the floor, and when she looked around, she saw Henry sitting in the floor, holding onto his side. Immediately, she set her books down and hurried to his side, where she knelt down next to him. She knew he should have taken it easy and gotten rest; it had only been a day since he had received his wound.

"Are you okay?" she asked, deeply concerned.

"Whoa. That was intense," he spoke. "The room was spinning around. Like I was on a carousel, and it was on the highest speed ever."

"That's an… interesting analogy, Henry. But, you didn't answer my question."

"Nya ha, don't worry about me," he answered.

"If I don't worry about you, who will?"

Henry looked down at the ground. "You must really care about me."

This statement took her by surprise, and she found herself unable to say anything in return. She looked to the ground as well, trying to think of something to say. It was true; she cared about him a great deal. What seemed to be an small electrical shock ran through her body as she felt his hand on top of hers. Her eyes relocated to see Henry's face so close to her own. Before she could stop it, her cheeks turned a deep crimson. Why did this feel so right? She dared not turn away from him. Not now.

She finally found the words to say. "Of course I do. More than… anyone."

He moved slowly in to her, and their lips were so close, nearly touching. She could have sworn to hear her own heart beat.

"That's good to hear," he whispered. "Because I care about you, too."

Finally, the gap between them closed as he placed his lips on hers. Every bit of oxygen she had left her lungs, and this time, it felt as though the room was spinning for her. His lips were so soft, as were hers to him. It hit her then how much she wanted, needed this, and for it to be from him. When he pulled away, both let out a laugh to see that their cheeks were nearly infrared, but nonetheless, they were elated it had happened. He continued to surprise her; she would have never thought him to have a sweet side. They smiled at each other, letting the moment sink in-

"Achoo!" they heard from the flap to the tent.

"Ricken! Way to give us away!" they heard Nowi fuss.

"Nowi! They would've just thought it was someone passing by had you not said something!" Ricken fussed back.

"What are you two doing?" Elena asked. The two opened the flap, guilt written all over their faces.

"We were coming to check on Henry. Lissa said he was heading here," Ricken began.

"But then we saw you two about to kiss, and we just _couldn't_ interrupt!" Nowi confessed.

"So, you watched us instead?" Elena questioned, humility and disbelief in her tone.

"Um, is there a wrong answer to this question?" Ricken sheepishly replied with another question. Elena slammed the palm of her hand to her forehead, and with a shriek, Ricken and Nowi sprinted off.

"Gods, Ricken. You ruined their moment!" they heard Nowi fuss as the two ran away.


	2. Words He Meant to Say

Donnel and Olivia's wedding was really sweet, with Stahl as Donnel's best man and Elena as Olivia's maid of honor. Henry sat in the front row and exhibited his usual smile. It was sort of a funny thing; for a while, everyone thought he and Olivia were the ones to be married, but Donnel won her heart instead. Donnel could not believe his luck- a simple farmboy marrying someone as beautiful as Olivia. Yet, if you talked to her, she claimed to be the lucky one. Of course, no one dressed up for the wedding since they lacked dresses, tuxes, and such. Regardless, Donnel and Olivia looked great together, and they both had enormous smiles on their faces, ready to face the future together.

Several days passed, and talk spread around the camp about Elena and Henry's relationship. It was not unexpected of them, for everyone knew how much time they had been spending together. People felt that it was past time for them to have finally realized their feelings for each other, and they were vocally happy for them. Indeed, it was an odd match, but it worked, and quite well. Not only did they seem like a great couple, but they were an unbeatable team on the battlefield.

Lately, Henry had been working on something during their downtime in the camp. Whenever asked by Elena what he was doing, he would just smile at her. She began to ask everyone around the camp if they knew what he was up to, but they would just shrug or feign ignorance. Without anyone even giving her hints, she decided to just drop it and let Henry do whatever it was. If he needed help, he would have asked her already.

Finally, about a week later, he revealed what it was that he was preparing. Despite the ring looking rather sinister, she happily accepted his proposal. Their wedding was held four days later, and naturally, Libra was the one to marry them. Before the wedding, Chrom came into her tent to check on her. It was no surprise to see that she was a little nervous, but in spite of her apprehension, she looked lovely. Olivia, whom was also her maid of honor, had braided her long, red hair, giving her an elegant appeal. As expected, Ricken was Henry's best man. He sat down beside her and held her hand; other than Henry, Chrom was the best friend she had ever had. Talk was that, two years ago, it was no surprise if Chrom and Elena had married; however, Chrom loved Sumia, and had from the start. He looked at her to see her staring ahead.

"Don't worry. I felt the same, remember?" he asked.

Elena let out a nervous laugh. "I do indeed. You were as pale as a ghost until you started to walk up to Sumia."

Chrom laughed as well, then rubbed his thumb on her hand. "He's a good man, Elena. I'm certain he will treat you well. He loves you dearly, even if he hasn't said it yet."

That was the odd thing about Henry; he had not told her that he loved her. It was a known fact that he was lacking in the emotions department, but behind that smile and façade, he was a very passionate young man. He just had difficulty expressing what he felt. Elena longed to hear those three words escape Henry's lips, but she was patient and did not push him.

Elena exhaled. "Am I making a mistake? I mean, there is so much about myself that I don't know…"

"No. No, Elena, you're not making a mistake," Chrom replied. "Don't be afraid. The fact that he has been able to look past your mystique means that he's not afraid, either. That should be sign enough that you are not making a mistake."

This eased Elena's anxiety just enough to where her stomach was no longer in knots. With a gentle squeeze to Chrom's hand, she signaled to him that she was ready. They both stood up and started out the tent.

"Chrom," Elena called. He stopped and looked at her. "Thank you."

Chrom smiled at her. "I'm just returning the favor. You helped me on my wedding day."

Elena smiled back at him, then inhaled and exhaled. She stood upright and looked ahead with determination. "Okay. I'm ready."

Due to her nervousness, Chrom whispered reassurances to her as he walked her down the aisle. Everyone looked at her, all with smiles on their faces. Yet, the moment she looked up and saw Henry's face full of pride and adoration for her, her trepidation melted away. When the wedding was over, the Shepherds held a ceremony for them. Stahl and Gaius were in heaven due to the food and candies, and Lissa and Sully watched them in chagrin as their husbands kept shoveling in food. Even Lucina, whom was usually so stern and uneasy, enjoyed herself and congratulated Elena and Henry.

That night, Henry and Elena pitched their tent further away from the camp. It was not a beach resort or anything, but they could take it; a honeymoon was just not possible. With a quick cast of magic, Henry started the campfire while Elena prepared the cot and changed to her slack wear. She started to take out her braid, but she felt hands wrap around hers, stopping her. She turned around to see Henry, his usual smile on his face.

"You should leave it in. You look great with your hair like that."

Instantaneous blush. She was not used to him complimenting her like that, but she could stand to hear it more often.

"Y-you think it's okay for us to be so far away from camp?" she stammered, trying to hide her blushing face.

"Oh, don't worry. I have crows all around us. If they sense any trouble, they'll CAWse quite a racket."

"You dork," she laughed as she playfully shoved him. "Well, I'm glad you were prepared."

"Yes, ma'am. I always think ahead," he nodded. Without another word, he started to take off his garments to put on slack wear. If it were at all possible, he could have more than likely seen steam coming from Elena's cheeks. He was changing. _In front of her! _Quickly, she turned around, her hands up to her cheeks, trying to calm down. While she did want to watch him, she was not quite sure she was ready for this. This confused him greatly, so he hastily put on his tank top and softly grabbed her shoulder. "Er, Elena? What's the matter?"

"N-nothing! Nothing at all!" Her voice was a clear octave higher.

"Is it because I was changing? But, we're married now. Isn't it okay?"

"Of… of course it's okay!" she exclaimed. "It just caught me by surprise is all! I'm sorry!"

Henry raised an eyebrow. "Why are you apologizing? You're one crazy lady, nya ha!"

"I am not!" She turned around, not caring anymore about the intensity of her blushing cheeks. "Next time, just warn me before you do something like that. I… have to prepare myself."

"So, I should warn you before I do something like this?" he asked, then leaned in and kissed her. No matter how many times they had kissed before, this kiss was different, and she could hear her ears ringing from her blood pressure soaring through the roof. He pulled away then placed his hand on her cheek, his eyes locked onto hers and a quirky smile on his face. "Where's the fun in that?"

Forgetting about her nervousness, she laughed. "You're so mean."

For a few seconds, nothing was said.

"Henry," Elena spoke, finally breaking the silence, "are you sure you want this?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… me. Are you sure?"

"Well, it's a little late to be asking that question. We just got married about three hours ago, nya ha!"

"Right…" she whispered. Of course, he wouldn't give her a serious reply. She started to walk past him, but he grabbed onto her wrist and stopped her. He slid his hand down and wrapped it around hers.

"Elena, listen. I know that I'm not very good at things like this, but… I'll do my best, okay?" he began. "I care about you. I really do. And I've never seen surer of anything in my whole life. You know my past. I was alone for a long time. Then, I met you and got to know you, and I realized that I wanted a family of my own. The family that was taken away from me so long ago." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and pulled her to him. "Please, don't doubt me. I swear, I'll love you with every ounce of my blood till the day I die." His seriousness surprised her, but then- "Ooo, I wonder when that will be?"

Something happened he did not expect. Tears filled Elena's eyes and spilt down her cheeks. He said it. He said it at last. Everything that was ever uncertain to her did not matter as of right now. What mattered was Henry, and that's what should have always mattered above all. She wrapped her arms around him and leaned up on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his lips. As she started to pull back, he held her closer to him and kept his lips on hers. What caught her by surprise was that she did not hesitate, but kissed him back. Not breaking their kiss, Henry edged her toward the cot, where she laid down. When their kiss broke, she saw that he was over top her, looking down at her. Her heart beat out of her chest, but she was ready for him. Henry was nervous; while pain was nothing to him, he knew that what she would experience at first was not going to be pleasant at all, and it worried him. But, they worked through it together, and they spent the night making love.

Elena opened her eyes and looked beside her to see Henry's back toward her. He was still fast asleep. A blush entered her cheeks again; claw marks were on his back from the endeavors of their passionate night. As quietly as she could, she leaned up and looked over to see his face, peaceful. Knowing that they needed to get up and ready themselves for the day, she lowered down and gave him a kiss on his forehead. Slowly, he opened his eyes, turned over, and smiled at her. He reached up and brushed her bangs out of her eyes; Gods, could he ever be sweet. They exchanged good mornings then got up to prepare for the day. It was sad for the both of them to see each other get dressed, but oh well. Once dressed, they stepped outside to see dozens of crows in the surrounding trees, all their eyes on them. Elena's eyes widened as she looked at her husband.

"I told you I had it covered," he grinned.

"It's a little… discerning," she said. "I mean, they heard us all night."

"Like they knew what was going on," Henry playfully argued.

"That's not the point, Henry…" Elena exhaled, her hand up to her forehead. "Next time, no crows."

"What? I just can't get rid of them! That'd CAWse them to be upset."

Elena shook her head. "No. Crows."

She started to walk back to the camp, Henry following her.

"Okay, okay. Let's compromise. Ten crows?"

"No."

"Nine?"

"How many did I just say?"

"How about-"

"Henry…" Elena could not help but giggle at his incessantness.

It did not take her by surprise when she felt his hand wrap around hers. Instead, she laced her fingers into his and smiled at him. She found herself smiling all the time now, and perhaps that was due to his influence. With him, she felt secure and loved, and no matter what they faced, she would give it her all to have him by her side for the rest of their days.


	3. And the Temperature Keeps Rising

"Beach party!"

Elena could almost feel the wind from Lissa as she sped by her to the beach. The Shepherds had been traveling and fighting practically nonstop, and Anna had suggested for them to go to her sister's resort during their next downtime. Actually, she more or less MADE them go; she would not shut up about it until Chrom agreed to it. It was a nice gesture from her, especially since she was usually so money-conscientious.

Frederick glanced around the area, observing a huge missing item. "Where are all the people?"

"Oh, I contacted my sister and had her close this place so it would be just us here," Anna replied. "Isn't my sister so awesome?"

"That is really generous of her," Sumia agreed. "But, we don't have any swimwear, Anna."

"Not to worry!" Anna exclaimed as she raised a pointed finger in the air. "My sister has a shop equipped with all sorts of beach merchandise! We're well taken care of."

At the shop, Anna's sister, who eerily looked just like Anna and had the same name (Anna offered to explain, but it just gave everyone a headache) helped them prepare. Naturally, she left the men to pick out their swimwear, but she helped the women. When she picked out Elena's outfit, Elena's cheeks burned, and she almost threw it back at her.

"I'm just kidding," Anna laughed. "Here you go."

Elena tried it on, and it suited her well. Anything was much better than the two pieces of string Anna had picked out for her. It was a hot pink two-piece, and in the middle of the top was a big, white bow. While it did make her a little uneasy going out in front of everyone with this on, she hoped that Henry would like it. When she stepped outside, she almost wanted to cover herself, but she endured the chagrin; surely, the others felt some, too. Even though she felt nervous, the beach was certainly beautiful. The hot sun beat down on her, and the warm sand felt amazing between her toes. Palm trees scattered the area, and the sound of rushing waves relaxed her slightly. In the sand were seashells of all kinds of colors and shapes, and she wanted to take some with her when they left; yet, she knew she could not. They would just be broken or lost during the war.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lissa waving at her, so she made her way to her. The rest of the girls were there, waiting for her. Some had two-piece suits, while some had a one-piece. Everyone looked great, but she could tell they were just as apprehensive as she was.

"Anna, your sister is crazy," Sully spoke. "Did she really think I was going to wear something so revealing? If I wanted to, I'd just take off my damn clothes!"

"I'm pretty sure Gaius wouldn't mind," Anna nervously laughed.

"You're failing to see the point," Sully sighed.

"Oh well, we came here to have fun. So, let's do just that!" Anna beamed.

"Yeah! Where are the men at? We haven't seen them since your sister ushered us away," Cordelia asked.

"Ah, let's just have girl time for right now," Sumia suggested. "We hardly ever get to have moments where us girls can talk."

"Sounds fun," Olivia grinned.

"So, Elena, how's the married life?" Sully asked.

"Hmm? It's great," Elena smiled. She and Henry had been married over two months now, and she had never been happier. "He's really sweet. Still crazy, but sweet."

"Henry? Sweet? Is this even probable?" Miriel doubted vocally.

"Once when you get past his barriers, he most certainly is," Elena said.

"How about the love life? How is that?" Sully questioned. All the women's eyes focused on her, minus for Nowi, whom seemed completely oblivious to the nature of the question.

"Eh? Love life?" Elena was confused by the question.

"You know what I mean," Sully laughed.

"Sully! That's none of your business!" Cherche fussed.

"Oh, don't act so damn uptight, girls! Hell, I'll let you know mine. It's amazing," Sully blurted out, not a hint of embarrassment to her. Olivia nearly fell over, and her cheeks were bright red. "If it weren't for the Risen and the war, we'd have sex much more often!"

"Gods, Sully…" Sumia whispered, shocked.

"Is _that_ what we're talking about?" Nowi piped up, reaffirming their thoughts about her obliviousness. "I thought you meant if our love was growing stronger or something like that."

"Nowi, you are NOT allowed to speak," Maribelle spoke.

"And why not? I'm much older than any of you! I'm a grown lady!" Nowi argued. "And just so you know, Ricken is really good at it. He's gotten MUCH better over the span of two years."

"NOWI!" Maribelle cried out.

"I'm going to hex you to where you can't speak for a week…" Tharja threatened. When she turned her head, Nowi stuck her tongue out at her.

"How is the prince in the bedroom, eh?" Sully inquired, nudging Sumia with her elbow.

Sumia turned away from the group. "Nope. Not having this conversation."

Lucina's face was beet red. "NO WAY do I want to hear about my father's sex life!"

"Are we really doing this right now?" Elena wondered aloud.

"What about you, Lissa? I bet Stahl is as average as always in that department, huh?"

"Stahl isn't typical, Sully. He's a wonderful person! But… if there is anything that Stahl is not average in, it's sex," Lissa answered Sully fearlessly. "Trust me. The gods blessed him."

"Oh, dear gods…" Olivia whimpered. "Where is Donnel? I'm going to find him, like _right now_."

"Speaking of Donny!" Sully grinned as she grabbed Olivia by her wrist, preventing her from escaping. "It's confession time."

Everything grew quiet, and they could see Olivia's body shaking.

"Sully, maybe you-"

"He's no simple farmboy, I'll tell you that right now!" Olivia suddenly revealed, her entire body red from embarrassment.

"Was that so hard?" Sully joked. "Elena?"

Elena felt her face get hotter by the second. Despite her and Henry only being married two months, their intimacy was not lacking at all. In fact, it was almost a nightly event. She felt all eyes on her, and if she was able, she would have buried her head in the sand like an ostrich. With as much courage as she could muster, she opened her mouth to answer.

"If you must know," she began, "our love life is great."

"That's it?"

"Well…" Was the sun making her face this hot, or was it her the intensity of her blush? "It's, uh… it's an almost nightly thing."

"Really?" everyone asked, stunned.

"Y-yeah. And he's not lacking in imagination, either. Or anywhere or anything else, for that matter."

"Who would've thought?" Sully stated. "All right. Your turn, Cordelia."

And so it went on for a good thirty minutes. After the first five, they grew comfortable enough to share experiences and such. Laughter filled the air, and it was then that Elena realized how much she loved the people in the Shepherds. They had welcomed her in, regardless of her loss of memory and her Plegian mark. These people were her family, and she thanked the gods for them. Finally, they heard the men calling for them, and when they looked up, it was all they could do to keep themselves from getting nosebleeds.

Elena made her way up to Henry, whom was in dark green trunks. And shirtless. Dark green was a good color for him, indeed, and she made a mental note to tell him that later. She caught him ogling at her, and this made her feel good about herself. One thing was certain though: he needed sunscreen. He was pale, and with this much sun, he would surely burn. When she brought this up, he assured her that Anna had let him use some, and he would be fine. With everyone now together, their day at the beach began.

"So, what is this that you manspawn are doing again?" Panne asked as she was being covered by sand up to her neck.

"We're just burying you in the sand, Panne. It's fun," Stahl answered.

"What is the benefit of this?"

"You can say it is a tradition for people when they go to the beach, my dear," Frederick smiled as he continued to cover her.

"You manspawn have some strange traditions."

"I guess it is strange, but look. Nowi has already been buried in sand," Frederick said as he gestured toward her. Panne turned her head to see it was so.

"Very well. I-"

"I'm bored already!" Nowi shouted. "Ricken, get me out!"

"All right," Ricken laughed. "Hold on. I gotta dig you out of there."

"Forget that! That'll take too long!"

"What? No, Nowi! Don't trans-"

A bright light filled everyone's eyes as Nowi transformed into her Manakete form, which freed her from her "prison". When she did so, she knocked benches, chairs, umbrellas, and tables all askew. With a sigh, Ricken began to clean up the mess she made.

"Panne, please don't transform on us," Stahl joked.

Elena walked along the shore, picking up seashells along the way. She had gathered quite the armload, and had just piled them up on the shore when she felt someone sweep her up in their arms. When she looked, she was surprised to see Henry carrying her to the water. They walked in to about chest-high and felt the waves gently roll into them. It was so relaxing. Anna certainly did a good job picking out the destination.

"Ah, I've needed this," Elena exhaled in relief.

"I could tell. And look around! No crows!" Henry proudly smiled.

Elena laughed. "Color me pleased, Henry."

"I could do that, but I'm not sure you'd like it, nya ha!" he jested. "Hey, Elena. What's that over there?"

"Huh? Over where?" she asked, looking around. That's when Henry reached up and pulled a string to her knot of her bikini. As expected, she let out a surprised cry, but another one follow it as her top was swept out to the sea. "Oh. Whoopsie. Didn't see that happening."

"Henry! What am I going to do?!" she fussed. "I can't get out the water now!"

"Um… er…" he stammered. "I-I'll be right back!" He started to run off, but when he turned, he could see Gaius and Lon'qu heading their way. Immediately, he stopped and thought of something to say to keep them from going to Elena.

"Where ya goin', Junior? We were just coming over to-"

"Don't go over there!" Henry interrupted Gaius. "There are jellyfish in the water!"

"Jellyfish?" Lon'qu muttered.

"And you're just going to leave Bubbles in there?" Gaius questioned incredulously. "I never thought you'd be so afraid of something as to leave your wife in danger." He looked at Elena, whom kept herself as lowered in the water as she could. "Don't worry, Bubbles! I'll save you! Just as long there is some sweet reward, that is!"

"N-no, Gaius!" Elena panicked. "I mean, I don't have any candy right now, so-"

"Aww, did you think I was serious? You don't have to pay me right now, but later would be great," Gaius continued toward her, Lon'qu behind him. Henry hurried and ran in front of them, his arms extended out in front of him in efforts to stop them.

"I'm not kidding, Gaius! It's bad!"

"Wait a minute. You're some kind of super powerful mage, right? Then why don't _you_ save her with some magic?"

"Hmph, a valid point," Lon'qu agreed.

"Look, if you're too scared, we've got this, okay?" Gaius said as he started past Henry. What a surprise it was to him when Henry firmly grabbed onto his wrist and stopped him. A creepy smile was on his face.

"Wanna die?"

"If you would have just told us the issue, we would've understood," Gaius laughed as he kept his eyes covered. He dared not peak, not after Henry had just threatened his life. Lon'qu had retreated back to Cherche, unable to even risk seeing a glimpse of his tactician topless.

Both Annas were not in sight, so Henry had to run across the beach to get their towels. He got as close to her as he could with her towel and spread it; she had no choice but to cover herself and endure the embarrassment as she walked from the water to him; if there were any gods up there, she prayed to them that no one saw this.

"You're really lucky, Gaius. I almost summoned a whole flock of crows on you," Henry said, glancing back at him over his shoulder. Gaius nearly broke out in a sweat, for he did not doubt Henry's words in the least.

"Henry, I told you, no crows," Elena warned.

"That's exactly why I didn't," Henry stated. "I do what I'm told, nya ha."

"I'm covered now, Gaius."

Gaius uncovered his eyes. "You would have been safe with me, Bubbles. Even if I had peaked, Sully would have sensed it and kicked my ass."

Elena raised an eyebrow. "She would have _sensed_ it? Somehow, I don't doubt that."

"Right. Well, I'd better get back to her. I heard this place has some awesome sweets, and I wanna share some with her."

They watched Gaius as he ran off to look for Sully. When he was out of sight, Elena looked at Henry, whom tensed up. While she was a touch upset with him for the bikini incident, she could not help but find his effort for keeping Gaius and Lon'qu away rather hilarious. Henry thought she was furious with him, but that was far from the truth. When she crossed her arms, though, he was certain his life was over; that was sign that her fuse had been blown. Slowly, so slowly that was as if you could hear the creaks in his body, he turned and faced his wife.

"I love you," he fearfully grinned.

"I love you, too," she said. "But, jellyfish? Really, Henry?"

"…It was all I could come up with. Sorry about that."

Elena let out a laugh as she took his hands into hers. "I've had fun, Henry. Bikini incident included." She leaned up and kissed him on his cheek. "I'm glad I got to spend this with you."

"You thank me for the weirdest things," Henry smiled. "Guess I better be glad I didn't call on the crows, huh? You would've really been upset."

Later that night, they returned to camp and prepared for bed. Tharja had terrible sunburn, and immediately, she was looking up spells that could rid herself from it, all the while, Virion preparing the aloe. Everyone had gotten a tan while at the beach; even Henry was a shade or two darker, which was strange to see. Lucina passed by Henry and Elena; she was still wary of Elena, and no one was certain why. Even when asked, she kept her mouth shut and would only shake her head. Elena could recall when Chrom and Sumia had first discovered that Lucina was their daughter, and it had been an endearing moment that even made Elena herself tear up. She wanted nothing more than for Lucina to open up to her and let her in, but she also knew better than to push her.

As she passed by Henry and Elena, she gave Henry the most pain-filled glance ever, which made them both stop. What had caused her to look at him that way?

"Lucina?" Elena called out to her. Lucina stopped and turned to face them. "What was that just now?"

"I'm not sure I know what you mean."

"Yes, you do," Elena rebutted. "Why did you look at Henry like that? I've never seen so much pain in one's eyes before."

Lucina exhaled and looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry… sometimes, I can't help it. When I think of what all you went through in the future, I…"

"Oh, right. You know how we all died," Henry nodded. "Ooo, was mine bloody? Like, super bloody?" The look in Lucina's eyes gave him his answer. "Awesome! Wait, did it hurt? I don't like ouchies."

"I'm sorry, Henry, but… yes, it hurt."

"Well, that's no fun," Henry pouted. "I mean, the bloody part is great, but if there are ouchies, me no-likey."

"What about me? You haven't mentioned me," Elena spoke.

Lucina avoided her gaze. "…You weren't around anymore, Elena."

The revelation made Elena's heart break. Not around? What did she mean by that? Was she already dead? Missing? It so was like Lucina to be so cryptic. Lucina lifted her eyes and locked them onto Henry's.

"Do you really want to know how you died?" she asked, uncertainty in her voice. Henry nodded, giving her the answer. "Very well."


	4. Take Care, Buddy

_*Warning: This chapter is on the dark side, and there are no funny moments in it. It deals with the future and my belief of how Henry's, and even Ricken's, final days were spent. Sorry, guys! The next chapter will be much brighter!*_

The only thing that kept him going was his son.

He was so tired, so lost, but once he looked at Morgan, he found a renewed sense of hope. The world had gone to hell so quickly, and before he could stop it, not only had Chrom and Sumia died, but Elena had as well (in a sense, at least). In fact, so many of his friends had been killed. How he had survived so long was a mystery to him, but he owed it to his child, whom had his mother's eyes. At first, it was painful to look upon him, but he realized he found hope when he looked in those eyes. No longer was he the jokester or the happy-go-lucky person he used to be, and Morgan missed that so much, but no one smiled much in these dark days. Grima was a plague on the world, and Plegia ruled all. Battles were unremitting, and everyone could feel their strength wearing thin.

Constantly in battle. Constantly on the run. Sleep was a thing of the past. The parents who were still alive banded together and would protect the children with all their might. Sacrifices outside of death were made, such as giving their portions of food to the children and losing sleep to protect them at night. In addition to Chrom, Sumia, and Elena, Stahl and Lissa, Frederick, Virion and Tharja, Libra, Vaike and Maribelle, Gregor and Miriel, and Lon'qu were dead. The few who were still alive came together, uniting to keep each other and the children alive as long as possible. It was not an easy task to undertake at all.

One evening, while on the run from Plegia, they passed by Donnel's childhood village to see it completely vacant. Donnel and Kellam had successfully moved everyone in the village to a safe location, including Donnel's mother, who worried about her son. They scouted the area for enemies, but none were found, so they chose to stay the night in the village. Once the fire was made, the children ate and were soon asleep.

That is, all for Morgan.

His father rarely talked about Elena anymore, and he was not certain as to why. Henry had loved Elena so much, and for him to rarely speak of her was so rare of him. He wanted to know about Elena, wanted to learn things that she was unable to tell him before… He had to ask, even if his father grew angry and dismissed the question. It was worth a try, however, so he walked up to his father and sat down beside him.

"Morgan? What are you still doing awake?"

"I'm worried about you, Father," Morgan began. "You're so thin… you don't eat. You don't sleep. What would Mother think if she saw you withering away like this?"

The corners of Henry's mouth twitched at the mention of Elena. Morgan was almost certain that he was be shut down, but instead, Henry patted his son's knee and smiled warmly at him for the first time in a long while.

"She wouldn't be happy with me, that's for certain," he answered. He looked at Morgan and put his arm around him. Morgan leaned into his father's chest. It had been so long since they had been able to bond like this, and he had missed it so. "She would be very proud of you, Morgan. You're giving it everything you've got."

"What was she like when you two got married?"

Henry gave Morgan's shoulder a slight squeeze. "She was… Well, she and I were very different, you see. I was so dark, and she brought light into my world. I would help her clean everything just so I could spend more time with her, and…" Henry grew quiet, and it was not long before Morgan felt tears splash onto his hand. He looked up to see tears falling from his father's eyes, and it nearly broke him so. Gods, Henry missed her. Memories of the first time they met on the battlefield, how they talked afterwards, and the moments they shared filled his mind. When he realized he was crying, he straightened himself up and hastily wiped the tears away. "I'm sorry. Anyway…" He told him as much as he could about Elena; about how happy she was when she found herself with child. How happy she had been when she held Morgan in her arms. Morgan soaked up every word, elated that his father finally was able to talk about her.

The next few days were full of the same thing: running and battles. Cherche and Kellam fell in two of the battles, much to the heartache of everyone. Gerome wept bitterly, for now he lost both his father and his mother, and Severa and Cordelia mourned for Kellam. After burying them, they came upon a pass that they knew for certain would be the perfect sight for an ambush, so they decided to go around it. The area around it was nothing but deep forest, so hopefully, they would be hidden well.

When they reached a clearing, however, their nightmares were reawakened as Plegian soldiers surrounded them. Gaius and Sully, Donnel and Olivia, Ricken and Nowi, Panne, Cordelia, and Henry prepared for battle, but Henry knew that ultimately, their best bet was for someone to be a target while the rest fled with the children. He took out Goetia and stepped forward, rustling Morgan's hair and telling him he loved him as he did. He looked back at everyone else and nodded, telling them wordlessly what they had already known he would do. The sounds of them fleeing and his son's strained cries as Gaius was resulted to carrying him away filled his ears, and just as he was ready to cast magic, he felt a hand clasp on his shoulder. Ricken, so grown and much the wiser and braver, stood beside him, Katarina's Jolt in his hands and determination in his eyes. Just before they had all ran away, he gave Nowi a swift kiss and Nah a kiss on her cheek, telling them his goodbyes. Henry could not do this alone. Grateful for their friendship that had lasted throughout the years, they faced the soldiers together.

Six soldiers were left out of the fifteen that had surrounded them, and they were so tired and spent. Blood seeped out of wounds from their bodies, but they pressed on. Henry knew that Ricken was in trouble, and he did his best to cover his best friend as the battle raged on. Back to back, the two fought the Plegian soldiers. Out of the corner of Henry's eye, he could see Ricken's book knocked out of his hands, and just as he began to turn to pull Ricken out of the way, he felt a dull pain in his back and torso. He heard a grunt escape Ricken's lips, and he could feel his body slump against his. Eyes wide in shock, he realized then what had happen.

He was going to lose his best friend.

He turned and took Ricken in his arms. Ricken's life was hanging on by a thread, and there was nothing that Henry could do. Much to his surprise, a faint smile spread across Ricken's face. He held his hand up, and Henry clasped it with his own.

"Take care, buddy…" Ricken whispered. At this, Ricken took his last breath. Henry stared at him for a moment, not able to believe it. Gently, he laid his body down on the earth, then picked up Katarina's Bolt and rose to his feet, staggering slightly due to the amount of blood he was losing. The six soldiers that were still alive were not leaving this place alive, and Henry promised himself that even if he was on the ground, he would keep fighting.

The fifteen soldiers lay dead on the forest floor. Ricken lay there as well, a faint smile on his face; he had died protecting the ones he loved.

Even though his pain sensors were not as capable as everyone else's, Henry was in a tremendous amount of pain as he crawled on the ground, covered in blood, sweat, and mud. He had to let them know; he had to tell Nowi and Nah about Ricken, and where to find him. His right arm was no longer in use and hung limply to his side, so he grasped as much as he could with his left hand to pull himself along. It was becoming so dark, and he did not recall it being near nightfall when they entered the forest. In the distance, he could hear Morgan and the others calling out to him; they had come back, hoping the battle would be over. This frustrated him slightly, for what if the soldiers had still been alive? It defeated the purpose.

He then heard something else.

"_Henry…"_

He knew that voice from anywhere, and it sent chills down his spine. Body worn out, he paused for a moment and lay flat on his back, staring up at the sky through the clearing. The trees stretched tall, and the sky was so blue. He stared, trying to catch his breath that seemed to be impossible to do.

"_No, Henry. You have to go."_

Henry moaned as he rolled back over on his stomach. "What… unh… do you want me to do?"

"_I'm here…"_

Shakily and with a moan, he rose to his feet, his body nearly giving out as he did so. His feet inched forward, his right arm hung at his side while his left arm held onto it. Blood pooled under him with each small step he took, but he kept going.

"_Henry…"_

"What…" he fell to a knee, but pushed himself back up. It was so dark now, and he felt blind. "What do you need me to do? Let me… I'm coming…"

He collapsed again, and this time, he was unable to get back up on his feet. While long ago, he used to love darkness, now, it scared him so. His blood pressure had always been low, but now it was nonexistent as all the blood from him had been shed. With the last ounce of energy he had, he rolled over on his back. All he had ever wanted was a family of his own to replace the one he had lost as a young child. Elena had given him that and so much more. Morgan meant everything to the both of them, and when Elena "died", Henry had promised himself that he would do everything he could to protect their son.

He had started out with nothing, and was given everything.

But now, he was alone. Just as the darkness seemed overwhelming, white light filled his eyes, and he felt a gentle hand press against his cheek.

"_Come home, Henry… You've done your part, and you've done it well. It's okay. You can let go now." _

One last smile was given as Henry closed his eyes.


	5. Family

After she told them the matter of Henry's demise, due to her guilt, Lucina chose to walk away and go to sleep, leaving heavy thoughts in Elena's and Henry's minds. As always, Henry was able to shake it off rather easily; this was in a future that was not even so certain anymore. They were working hard to prevent those events from ever occurring, and so far, other than for Emmeryn's demise, they had changed fate many times. Elena, on the other hand, was not in any certain terms able to just "shake it off". Why was she not in the future? Lucina never revealed if she had gone missing or if she were dead, and this startled her. For whatever reason, she had not been there for Henry (Lucina had left out the fact that Morgan was their child, not wanting to give that bit away) as he fought and died. She wondered if Lucina had told Nowi and Ricken of his manner of death; Ricken would be so proud of his future self.

And then, she looked at Henry. What he did, it was so selfless and admirable, but it made her heart break so. Recalling the conversation he and Ricken had once had, he remained true to what he had said, and avenged Ricken for his death. He had lost his life fighting for those he loved, but he had taken his final breath alone on the cold forest floor. The very thought of it sent chills down her spine and made her stomach flip. A lump rose in her throat, and before she realized it, tears spilt over onto her cheeks. She cried silently, not wanting Henry to notice. For a moment, he didn't.

"Wow, I sure changed in the future, huh?" he spoke. "Sounds like I had a pretty bloody death, and that's awesome! Not a single drop left in my body, nya ha!"

Hearing Henry say this almost sent Elena over the edge, and without meaning to, she made a faint sob aloud. This caught Henry's attention, and he looked at his wife to see her weep.

"Whoa, Elena, what's the matter?" he asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder. She brought her hands up to her eyes and tried to wipe the tears away, but they fell so quickly, she had no choice but to give up. Unable to speak, she continued to shed tears. He could not recall ever seeing her cry so hard, and it both perplexed and pained him. Not knowing what else to do, Henry did the one thing he knew could help: he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest, where her tears wet his shirt. She knew it was silly to be crying like this, but Lucina's revelation broke her heart and scared her so much.

"Would you like to go to the tent?" Henry asked her. With a quick nod, he grabbed her by her hand and led her to their tent, where she calmed down a bit. "What made you cry like that? It was almost as bad as that one time Tharja cursed Virion's eyes for looking at that village girl. Remember that? He cried nonstop for three days, nya ha!"

"I just… knowing you died alone…" She found herself unable to finish.

"What does it matter how I died? I just wanted to know if it was bloody, and boy, was it! Good times!"

A sob broke from Elena as she plopped down on the bed. "That's not helping, Henry!"

Henry sighed. He could not for the life of him understand why she was so upset, but he had to think of something to calm her down. At last, he decided to give it a shot and sat down beside her. "Elena, listen. Whatever happened in Lucina's future, we're trying to stop that from happening, right?" He took her hand that had the Plegia mark on it into his and held it gently. "How I died makes no difference now. I mean, think of it this way. We changed Emmeryn's fate. Sure, she died, but at least she wasn't assassinated." He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. "Don't worry. I won't die a gory death just yet. And no curse will ever part us." Soothingly, he kissed her, and she felt herself feeling better. In his own unusual way, he always knew what to say to make her overcome her sorrow and bring a smile to her face, and it was because of this that she loved him so much. "Well, now that my shirt is completely soaked, I'm gonna have to change."

"Sorry about that, Henry," Elena whispered, feeling embarrassed.

"Ah, no sweat."

"Thank you for letting me cry on your chest, though."

"Why do you always thank me for the weirdest things?" Henry asked as he stood up and took off his shirt. Elena smiled. Of course he wouldn't understand why she thanked him. Growing up, he had no one. The animals of the wild were his family, and it was only understandable as to why he had social awkwardness.

Henry looked through their belongings for some minutes then turned and looked at Elena. "Um? My shirts?"

"Oh, that's right! It was laundry day today!" Elena cringed. "Cordelia has most of our clothes." Henry sighed and simply looked back at his soaked shirt in his hand. Unexpectedly, he felt Elena come up from behind him and wrap her arms around his thin waist. "Don't worry about it, Henry. Everything's going to be coming off in a minute, anyway."

Blush crept across Henry's cheeks. "Weren't you just crying a second ago?"

"I sure was." Elena smirked. "Comfort me."

Henry turned around and unintentionally dropped his shirt to the ground. "Yes, ma'am."

They started kissing, and soon, they found their kisses intensifying. With her hands on his shoulders, Elena began to push Henry back toward the bed. When the back of his legs hit the bed, he fell backwards, and without wasting any time, Elena straddled him. Fingers deft, she started to undo the knot that held up Henry's slacks…

"Elena? Henry?" they heard Chrom call. Before they could even stop, he had entered the tent. "Lucina told me what-" When he finally looked up, his eyes widened in both mortification and horror. He threw his hands up in front of him and looked away.

"CHROM!" Elena cried out, still straddling her husband. Henry had an odd smile on his face that seemed to scream frustration.

"I'm SO sorry! I had no idea- I mean, I know that you two do this a lot, but-"

"Wait. How do you…" Elena shrieked. "Oh gods! Did Sumia tell you?!"

"How does Sumia know?" Henry asked, but his question fell on deaf ears.

"Gods, I'm sorry!" Chrom panicked. "I'll just be leaving now." He could not help but grin as he said his next statement. "You two go back to doing what you do best."

"What we do best? Elena, what did you tell them?"

"It's called _knocking_, Chrom! You should do that next time!" Elena yelled after him. When the flap closed, she looked down at Henry to see a questionable look on his face. The shade of her blush nearly turned four shades darker. "Uh… well, you see, at the beach… the girls were talking, and I… Uh, the thing is, we were talking about sex, and…"

She could not bring herself to finish, but Henry got the general idea. Naturally, he was not upset with her in the least. Girls talked, and who was he to stop her? In fact, while at the beach, the men themselves had talked about their wives, too, and Henry could not help but brag about Elena. But for them to be interrupted so… Oh, hell no. He looked at their flap and muttered something under his breath. From her peripheral view, Elena could see a dark purple glow. A devilish smile crept across Henry's face.

"From here on out, I'm putting a hex on our tent," he said. "The next person who interrupts us will be attacked by crows!"

"Henry! What did I say about crows? And you can't do- mmph!" She was cut off by Henry's lips crashing into hers, and they soon picked up from where they had been rudely interrupted.

When the sun arose the next day, Elena awoke to find her head lying on Henry's bare chest. He was still fast asleep, and for a while, she watched him as he slept. He was right; the manners of how everyone died in the future did not matter presently. No matter what, they had to live for today. Indeed, they fought for tomorrow as well, but they had to be able to discern when to break away from the future and remain in the lives they lived now. All the more thankful for him, Elena nuzzled his neck, taking in his scent as she did, her hand on his small but firm waist. She listened to the beat of his heart, slower in sleep; its beat was what put her to sleep every night. When they first met, it never crossed her mind that he would be the man she would marry, for he was an anomalous soul. How silly did she feel about ever thinking that way. No one meant more to her than he.

Later that day, at supper time, Henry and Ricken sat together while Nowi and Elena helped prepare the meal. Earlier, Donnel had trapped a massive wild boar, and after he dressed it, Elena and Nowi wanted to prep it for dinner that night. For a while, Ricken was silent, which Henry found to be very strange since he talked to him about everything imaginable. It was apparent that Ricken was upset, but Henry was not certain how to help him. Henry stared out at the horizon, the setting sun giving it a red glow.

"So, Ricken. You think I'll melt my eyeballs if I stare at the sunset?" he asked, hoping to cheer him up. Not a word came from Ricken, so he tried again with something else. "You remember that time you and I hid a centipede in one of Elena's tactical books? And when she opened it, she threw it so hard, it flew out her tent and hit Vaike on the head? Nya ha, good times!"

Still nothing. Elena and Nowi watched from a distance of Henry's efforts to cheer up his best friend. Nowi had mentioned that Ricken had been upset, but she was not certain as to why, either. After some time, Ricken finally opened his mouth to speak.

"Lucina told us, you know."

Henry looked at Ricken to see that he stared at the sunset as well. "Did you ask her if you died a bloody death, too? I didn't think that was in you!"

"It's not, Henry," Ricken exhaled. "It may have sounded glorious to you, but… unlike you, I don't want to die. It scares me."

"You think I _want_ to die?" Henry questioned Ricken. When he did not reply, Henry nodded. "Not a chance. I'm married now, and I'm happy. Don't get me wrong, how I died in Lucina's time was pretty awesome, but that was because it was so bloody." He looked back out at the sunset, a smile on his face. "Alone, however… I don't think I like that part so much."

"Really?"

"Yes, sir! And you going down with me wasn't awesome, either. Just so you know."

"Sounds like I died without any regrets, though," Ricken smiled. "I mean, I helped protect Nowi and all those people. Future me sounds really amazing. You're different in the future." He then looked at Henry. "You also kept true to what you told me months ago."

"What about?" Henry asked, oblivious.

"Nothing," Ricken shook his head. He could not but help to stare at Henry. From the time he had became a Shepherd- that strange boy who came to aid them in battle against the Risen with a flock of crows at his disposal- to now, he had changed so much. Now, he cared about everyone in the Shepherds and even seemed to value their lives. Always with a smile, only those closest to him knew it was a mask and saw through the ruse. Loneliness had been a vast part of his life, and now that he was with people who were more concerned for others than themselves, it took the Plegian by surprise. Henry noticed Ricken's eyes focused on him, and this confused him.

"Something on my face? Maybe a black feather or two?"

"No, Henry. Not this time," Ricken laughed.

Time pressed on, and soon, other future children that had come with Lucina began to emerge. Owain and Inigo were certainly characters, and their parents had trouble keeping up, Owain with his eccentric behavior and Inigo's flirtatious ways (luckily, they had Virion's likeliness to prepare). Cynthia rather enjoyed staging entrances and exits on the battlefield, and often flower petals would confuse and block the enemies' vision, actually helping the Shepherds. Laurent was almost a carbon copy of Miriel, much to Gregor's amusement.

Upon hearing word of the legendary Naga's Tear, the group headed to its location, not surprised to see Risen there. What did surprise them was that a young man was being chased by the Risen. Wearing a Dark Mage outfit and attacking with tomes, the boy kept his hood up, thusly keeping them from seeing his face. Despite not knowing who the boy was, Chrom and Sumia rushed over to his side to help him finish off the surrounding Risen while the others fought the rest. Once the Risen were defeated and Naga's Tear claimed, Chrom turned his attention to the boy once more.

"Why on earth would you be out here alone? Are you lost?"

"I… don't know," the boy replied as he glanced at his surroundings.

"You don't know?"

"I… I think I'm looking for someone?" the boy thought aloud, his hand on his head and bewilderment written all over his face. "I can't remember."

Chrom could tell the boy was troubled; there were several ways he could have ended up here without knowing how. Not wanting to confuse the boy any further, Chrom patted him on the back to console him.

"Don't worry. We'll take care of you," he smiled. "Just stick with us until we reach the next town. It's too dangerous to travel alone. My name is Chrom."

"Thank you, Chrom," the boy said courteously as he reached up to his hood. "My name is Morgan."

When he took off his hood, Chrom couldn't keep the smile from spreading on his face as a full head of unruly, white hair came into view.

"Actually," Chrom spoke, "I think I can help you more than that. Follow me."

Back at camp, Chrom found Elena at her tent, the flap open, already changed into her relaxation wear. With Morgan by his side, he was certainly apprehensive as to how she would react. He could see Henry was not there and wondered where he was and if he should wait until he returned. Then, to his left, he saw Henry making his way up to Elena, his left arm wrapped up in bandages; he must have been slightly wounded during the fight and had to have medical attention. Good, they were both here.

Henry, Elena, I have-"

"Elena?" Morgan looked up to see Elena and Henry, their attention on Chrom. A smile appeared on his face instantaneously on Morgan's face as he ran to them. "Mother!" he laughed as he threw his arms around her, making her stagger backwards.

"Whoa, easy now," Henry said as he steadied them.

Morgan laughed again. "I'm sorry, but… I've looked everywhere!"

"Wait, did… did you just call me 'mother'?" Elena questioned, undoubtedly taken aback. Henry also appeared to be shocked by the revelation.

"Um, yeah?" Morgan replied, not knowing the circumstances of Elena's and Henry's confusion. "Why are you looking at me like that? Come on, it's me, Morgan! Strapping young lad, your reason for living and all that!"

She understood now. She thanked Chrom, who left to allow the family to get better acquainted. Elena sat Morgan down, and she joined him as she explained to him the truth, which only seemed to perplex him more. Yet, his smile remained as he remained optimistic- his smile that was just like Henry's.

"Wow. It's so crazy to see my future son all grown up before we've even had him, Henry chuckled. "Talk about spooky!"

Morgan looked at Henry, a puzzled look on his face. "So… you're my father?"

"Yes, Morgan. This is your father, Henry," Elena nodded.

"Great to meet ya, kiddo!" Henry beamed. It was evident that Henry was beyond excited to see that he and Elena would have at least one child, but for Morgan, that excitement he had once had upon meeting Elena was replaced with tears as he looked at Henry. This both startled and worried them.

"I… I have no memory of you," Morgan shakily whimpered. Not only that, but there were many things he had lost memory of. Bitter tears fell from Morgan's eyes, and Elena wrapped her hand around his to comfort him. Already, she found herself becoming maternal, and they had just met. What Henry did next both stunned and made her proud. He knelt down in front of Morgan and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, no tears, kiddo! We'll just work on getting those memories of yours back together! I've got all sorts of spells and curses I could try!" He winked at Elena, whom smiled back at his jest. "Okay? So dry those tears and give your father a hug!"

A smile once again returned to Morgan's face; it was true, for it touched his eyes. He wiped away the tears with a laugh.

"I can do that," he said. He then embraced his father, who held him in his arms, a warm smile on his face as well. Elena joined in on the hug, tears of joy on her cheeks.

After Morgan was taken to the tent that housed the other boys from the future, Henry and Elena returned to theirs. Elena's heart fluttered in her chest; they had a son. She and Henry would have a family together. It was a peculiar feeling, one she was not used to. To know that they would have a child was… She wondered how Henry felt. Naturally, he was his usual self, but she could see past the ruse as she watched him change out of his day clothes and into his relaxation wear. Before he put on his shirt, she walked up to him and put her hand on his wounded arm gently so as not to hurt him. She knew that it would not have, but she was still tender with him. Her eyes locked onto his, and his smiled at her.

"What do you need?" he asked in his typical, cheery tone.

"Henry," she spoke, a slight giggle in her tone, "we will have a son."

"Seems that way, don't it? Sure is one hex of a thing! Get it? Hex?! Nya ha!" Henry joked as he pulled the tank top over.

"It certainly is," Elena laughed. "He looks like you."

"Poor kid. That's one heck of a curse, that is."

Elena shook her head. "That's not a curse at all, Henry. You're very handsome. Not a day goes by that it doesn't enter my mind."

"Really? Woo-hoo! I've been told I grow on people. It's my secret power," Henry smiled. Elena smiled as well and shook her head again; he could never take a compliment seriously. "Oh, and he has your eyes. Just so ya know."

"Think so?" Elena asked as she and Henry climbed into bed.

"Yes, ma'am!" He leaned over and kissed her. "I love you so much, my spleen hurts. …I hope that's normal."

"It is, Henry," Elena giggled sleepily as she rested her head on his chest. "It is."


	6. What's So Bad About Bugs, Anyway?

"Hey-o, Morgan!" Henry casually greeted as he walked up to his son. It was early in the morning, but it was no shock to find Morgan studying over some tomes; he wanted to be a great tactician like his mother, but was also proud of his Dark Magic roots from his father. His attention shifted from the tomes to his father, a warm smile already on his face. "How about you and I do something?"

Without any hesitation, Morgan closed the tomes and rose to his feet, ready to bond with Henry. "You bet! What are we going to do?"

A sly grin spread on Henry's cheeks. "I'll tell you when we get there."

Since Morgan's arrival, he and his mother already bonded, but Henry was having trouble finding a way to bond with his son. In many ways, Morgan was like his father, but in many ways, he also was not. For instance, Morgan did not like the sight of blood and gore, and this baffled Henry. How could someone not like blood and gore, especially during a war? Not experienced in the Dark Arts enough to handle the more potent spells, Henry had tried helping Morgan with that, but Elena was unsure if he should be handling such powerful magic. She took all the fun out of things anymore, it seemed. Regardless, Morgan loved spending time with Henry when they could.

Through a dense forest, Morgan followed Henry, talking all the while about things he had learned while studying and such. He talked about Owain, how he was both crazy and hilarious and their budding friendship; he felt guilty for forgetting about Owain, for they had been best friends before coming to the present, but much like everyone else from the future, Owain shrugged it off and helped him in his efforts to gain his memory back. Used to Ricken's constant talking, Henry listened patiently to his son, whom was just as bubbly as his mother. While they walked and Morgan talked, it appeared that Henry was looking for something. He would bend down around trees and shrubbery, look around for a moment or two, then stand upright and continue walking. In due time, Henry reached down and gently grabbed something off a tree and showed it to Morgan.

"This," he said, "is what we're looking for."

"A centipede?" Morgan asked, examining the black creature with hundreds of tiny legs. "Oh, are we bug-catching? I love bugs!"

Ah, something he did not get from his mother. This would be perfect.

"Neat-o!" Henry grinned. "But, we're not bug-catching! We're gonna play a little prank-a-roo on your mother."

"With a centipede? How so?"

"We're gonna put it in one of her tactical books!" Henry exclaimed excitedly.

"That is _not_ a good idea, Dad," Morgan quickly pointed out, his face contorted in fear. "I recall Mother hating bugs."

"That's the idea!" Henry cupped the centipede in his hands. "Maybe us doing something like this together will trigger something in that head of yours! I'd say you and I got into loads of trouble doing stuff like this, nya ha!"

Morgan's look of fear changed to humor. "Yeah, maybe so! You're a genius, Father!"

"I know," Henry grinned. "Now, let's get back to camp."

When they returned, they waited behind a tent with Henry as the watcher for Elena to leave her tent. It was around this time every day that she would go and talk to Chrom about tactics and war, and Henry never followed her there; that stuff bored him nearly to death, and that was not a joke. When she left, they waited until she was for certain out of sight and entered her tent.

"Which book is Mother reading right now?" Morgan questioned Henry.

"Ooo, this one!" Henry said as he grabbed the book and opened it. He put a twig in it. "Don't want to squish you, Mr. Centipede!" he smiled as he placed the centipede in it afterward. He shut it, and then he and Morgan walked out of the tent, sniggering the whole time. Unexpectedly, they heard the flap to Elena and Henry's tent open, and when they turned around, Morgan nearly fell over when they saw who walked out of it, Elena's tactical book in her arms. All laughter stopped.

"Noire!" he called out to her, trying to hide the nervousness in his tone.

Noire had been one of the newest recruits, and she was the product of Tharja and Virion. She was a beautiful young girl with her father's silver hair and her mother's looks. Capable of fighting and used a bow, but she had a weak constitution and would get sick often, leading those in the Shepherds to keep a close eye on her. Also, it was known that she was not very outspoken, perhaps due to her mother. It was known, however, that Noire was terrified of bugs- including butterflies, and certainly centipedes.

She looked over at Morgan, Henry standing behind him, what she thought to be his usual smile on his face. What she did not know was that the smile was ridden with uneasiness. She made her way over to the two, Elena's book hugged closely to her chest. Morgan _had_ to get that book from her, no doubt about it.

"Hello, Morgan. And Henry," Noire greeted meekly. "I just saw Elena heading over to talk to Chrom. She sent me to get her tactical book."

"Great!" Morgan squeaked. He coughed in embarrassment then straightened himself. "Uh, I can take that to her. Save you the trouble."

"Oh, it's no trouble. I was heading that way to get some breakfast, anyway," Noire smiled at him. Henry could have sworn to see Morgan's cheeks blush at Noire's smile. "I'll talk to you la-"

"Let me take it!" Morgan yelled, catching Noire off guard. She jumped back and held the book out in front of her, as if it were going to protect her. "I… uh… I mean, I insist."

"Aren't you spending time with your father, though?" Noire asked. "I wouldn't want to intrude."

"We're done for the day," Morgan speedily replied. "I'll just be taking the book now."

"You're being really weird," Noire pointed out, poking her head over the book. "Look, it really is-"

She froze in mid-sentence, and her eyes drifted from Morgan to her hand. Instantly, they widened in the utmost terror as she looked at the centipede which crawled from the book onto her hand. Henry's and Morgan's faces visibly tensed up as they watched her entire body shake, her mind taking in the fact that her worst fear was on her hand. Then, a shrill scream filled the air.

"CENTIPEDE!" She threw the book to the side, where a very unfortunate Vaike and Maribelle happened to be walking. The book crashed onto Vaike's head as such a force, he knocked him into the barrels he was walking by, leaving an extremely confused and upset Maribelle to give him aid. "GET IT OFF! GET IT _OFF_!"

Morgan ran to her, concerned for her. He reached to get it, but she would not be still long enough for him to grab the bug. "I- oof!" he grunted as one of her flailing arms slapped against his cheek. "I'll get it, but you've got to stop moving!"

"And I'll stop moving when you get it!" Noire protested, much to Henry's humor and Morgan's aggravation. The centipede crawled up her arm and onto her chest just as Morgan went for it, so naturally, he missed. Noire's screaming intensified as she stared at the centipede, which then crawled down into her cleavage. "G-GET IT OUT!"

"I can't do that!" Morgan cried out, his cheeks a vicious red.

"Sure ya can!" Henry instigated, merely standing by and watching the spectacle with a laugh the entire time.

"You're not helping, Dad!" Morgan fussed as he glanced back at his father. Just as he looked back around, Noire fainted onto the ground. By this time, all of the Shepherds were coming into view to see just what all the commotion was all about. Virion and Tharja ran through the crowd and to Noire, and Elena and Chrom ran up to Henry and Morgan, exasperated looks on their faces. Vaike came to, and Maribelle helped him to his feet; the book had left a huge pump knot on his forehead, and a bruise was already forming. All eyes were on Henry, Morgan, and Noire as Tharja examined her daughter. An irritated sigh escaped Tharja's lips as she reached and pulled the centipede out of Noire's cleavage and held it up for them to see.

"Idiot girl," Tharja fussed. "How could she let something such as this affect her so?"

"Remarkable," Virion exhaled, relieved that it had just been a mere bug to have caused the problem. "We all know of her trepidation for these sorts of creatures. How did this happen?"

"I think I know how," Elena spoke, frustration in her tone as she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at her husband and son. "Well? Am I thinking correctly?"

"Yes," Morgan submissively answered, his head hung. Henry merely stood by Morgan's side, a smile on his face.

"What do you have to say?" Elena prompted.

"We're sorry for causing such a commotion," Morgan quietly apologized.

"Henry?" Elena darkly called, pressing him to apologize as well.

"Yeah, what he said!"

"HENRY!" Elena fussed.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry."

"Ugh," Elena moaned as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I'm so sorry, everyone."

After everyone had resumed their tasks from before the incident and Vaike and Noire taken to the infirmary, Elena gave both Henry and Morgan a stern talking-to about them scaring Noire so. Then, after she was through, a laugh erupted from her, and she had to turn away from them so they would not see her laughing. While it had aggravated her greatly that the two had planned the trick for her and poor Noire had been caught in the crossfire, she could not help but to find the entire ordeal hilarious. Innocent bystander Vaike always had a knack for catching books to the head, it seemed. Maribelle had to have been angry at them, and she would be certain to have Henry apologize later since it was his idea to begin with.

Elena and Chrom returned to his tent to discuss tactics and battle, leaving Henry and Morgan alone together. Morgan's head was still bowed in both chagrin and defeat. Worried that his son may be upset with him, Henry nudged him with his elbow to get his attention.

"Yes, Father?"

"Sorry for getting you in trouble, kiddo," Henry spoke. "If you want, I'll curse them all to have colds for a week. Sound good?"

Morgan let out a chuckle. "No, it's okay. Don't do that."

"This wasn't exactly what I had in mind for bonding time." The smile on Henry's face was almost forced. Morgan could tell he was getting frustrated, and he hated that. Henry was trying so hard, but it only came back to bite him. "I'll have to think harder."

"What? No, don't say that! This was fun!" Morgan laughed. "Heck, even us getting into trouble was fun, too!" He hugged Henry, and they both could feel the warmth of the embrace. "Thanks so much, Father. We'll have to do this again- er, minus the getting into trouble part."

"Maybe next time, I can call on my crows!" Henry beamed.

"I said minus getting into trouble…" Morgan sighed. Just then, an intense pain jolted through Morgan's head, causing him to cry out. Alarmed, Henry began to examine his son.

"What's wrong, Morgan? Did someone curse you? I'll hex them to smithereens!"

"No," Morgan winced. The pain eased off, and he looked into Henry's eyes, an affectionate smile on his face. "I just remembered something about you. When I was little, you and I would go catch bugs all the time. My favorite bug to catch was fireflies, and you would catch them and put them into a lantern for me. Later during the night, I would release them, and the whole place would light up." He closed his eyes at the fond memory. "Mother loved it when we did that."

"Awesome," Henry laughed. He rustled Morgan's hair. "I'm glad you were able to remember that. And you did it without me having to curse you!"

Several hours later, Noire awoke in the infirmary. Morgan requested that Maribelle tell him once she did, and she kindly did so. Elena and Henry noticed him slipping out of the mess hall, and they knew he was going to check on Noire. Curious, they followed him to do a little spying on what he would do or say. It was no secret to the both of them that Morgan found Noire to be quite beautiful, and he became flabbergasted whenever she was around him. They watched him enter the tent, and they huddled down beside it to listen.

Morgan could feel tiny beads of sweat pop up on his forehead as he saw Noire lying on the bed, a hot cup of tea in her hands. Guilt washed over him for putting her in this place, and he could only anticipate that she was not too upset with him. Libra was in the tent at this time, and when he saw Morgan enter, he took his leave, allowing the two privacy. When Libra left, Noire turned her head and looked at Morgan. Her face lighted up in a smile, and this caused Morgan's apprehension to dissipate and a smile appear on his face as well. He made his way to her, pulled up a chair beside her bed, and sat next to her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Much better now," she replied. "I'm so sorry, Morgan. Everyone said you and Henry got in a lot of trouble."

"What are you sorry for? We were the ones who put the centi-"

"Eww, don't remind me!" Noire cut him off.

"Haha, sorry," Morgan chuckled. "Anyway, I'm glad you're doing better."

"Thank-you," Noire nodded. All of a sudden, her face reddened, and her eyes transfixed in horror. "Oh gods! I just remembered! I asked you to get that _thing_ out of my…"

Morgan felt his cheeks burn, but he retained his cool. "Don't worry about it. You were just scared. Just know I would've never done it." He laughed briefly. "Father is such a jokester. He urged me to. Did you hear him? I think he wanted me to get slapped."

Elena cut her eyes at Henry, whom tensely smiled at her. "You did what?" she whispered.

Noire smiled. "You're really sweet, Morgan."

Morgan's blush intensified. "N-not at all. Anyone would have done the same." He then cleared his throat and urged the blush to disappear. "So, have you always been that scared of bugs?"

"Gods, yes!" Noire shuddered.

"But why? They're harmless! Not to mention really cool!"

"Maybe for you," Noire laughed as she poked Morgan's chest. "I'll tell you what's cool about them. Nothing! Gross!"

Morgan let out a chortle; Noire's fear was not something to laugh at, but for some reason, she was making him laugh. "Oh, hey!" he piped up as a brilliant idea crossed his mind. "I got it! I'll help you get over your fear of bugs."

"What?" Noire asked, confused. "I don't think you understand just how bad it is, Morgan."

"No, I understand. I saw it firsthand, remember? You can't be afraid of bugs your whole life. They're all over the world. Sooo, I'll help you."

"Think it'll work?" Noire wondered aloud.

"Of course it will!" Morgan beamed. "And I'll be with you every step of the way!"

Henry let out a sigh. "Looks like I'll be catching a hex of a lot of bugs now."

"Looks like Morgan has a crush," Elena giggled. Her eyes rested on Henry, and the fond memories of when they first met filled her mind. Almost from the start, she had been smitten with him, and she could recollect when she had held back the revelation as long as she could. Almost unable to bear it anymore, she was ready to tell him when he revealed his feelings for her. And now, they were witnessing their child go through the same emotions they had felt almost a year ago. She wrapped her hand into her husband's as they stood up and walked away to allow Morgan and Noire full privacy.

"Just so you know," Henry piped up, "I can have my crows watch them. Saves us time and the chance of us getting caught."

"Henry-"

"I know, I know," Henry smiled as he leaned in and gave her a kiss on her cheek. "No crows."


	7. To Love and Be Loved

_~Hey, guys! Thanks for reading this even up to this point. I've always sort of struggled with my confidence in anything I do, so your kind words in the reviews and the fact you gave this a chance means the world to me. Don't worry, I'm still going to continue this fanfic; just wanted to show my gratuity. This chapter is more so going to be about feels and fluff and stuff. So be prepared to say, "Aww" a lot! Enjoy!~_

Morgan sat down beside Elena, a defeated appearance on his face. Elena knew very well the source for the look: Noire. He was still unable to find a remedy to her fear of bugs; instead, she usually ended up fainting on him. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, the heat of the campfire sinking into his skin. Wordlessly, Elena expressed her sympathy by putting her arm around him. Morgan cared so much for Noire, and the fact that it seemed he was only making her fear worse made him feel terrible.

One thing about Morgan was that he was a truly admirable young man. Magnanimous, kind, and spirited, he took after both his father and mother. Liked by all the Shepherds due to his warm heart, Morgan found himself to be very happy, even without his memories.

In the stillness of the night, only the crackling of the fire could be heard. Most of the Shepherds had already gone to bed, but Elena, as always, stayed up later than most to prepare for the next day and ensure that the army stayed safe. Where Henry was, Morgan was not certain. Morgan hated making Noire suffer so much, but she insisted they see it through. They had spent copious time together on and off the battlefield and had grown so close. To him, she was an amazing individual who could make him smile and laugh like no one else could. She wanted his help, but why did he feel like helping her overcome her fear was wrong?

To his surprise, a black lantern appeared in front of his face, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"I think I finally came up with something to help Noire," Henry spoke behind him.

"Think so?" Morgan asked as he took hold of the lantern, unsure on the contents inside.

"Yes, sir!" Henry grinned. "I got to thinking, and this is probably the best idea I've ever had, if I do say so myself!"

"What is it?" Morgan asked as he began to open the lantern.

"No, wait!" Henry stopped him. "If you open it, they'll come out, and I'll have to catch them all over again. Took a while, it certainly did!"

"What's in the lantern, Henry?"

"Fireflies," Henry replied, his finger in the air to give the answer volume.

"So, that's where you've been all night," Elena said, awe in her voice.

"Yup!" Henry nodded, a smile on his face. "I'm positive she'll like these, Morgan. If she's still awake, you should go give it a try."

Morgan's smile faded as he lowered the lantern and placed it in his lap. "I don't know… this just feels wrong."

"How so?" Elena questioned.

"It's like… I think I'm trying to change her, and I don't want her to change. I don't know why, but whenever I'm trying to help her get over this, I get sad." A laugh escaped his lips as he put a hand up to his forehead. "Sounds crazy, doesn't it?"

"You bet," Henry exulted. "But, we understand."

Elena stood up and gave Henry a kiss on the top of his head. "I'm going to let you talk to him. I need some shut-eye," she whispered to him before she walked off. Henry sat down beside his son and looked at the campfire. Why she left him alone to talk to Morgan was a mystery to him, but perhaps she knew what she was doing, so he trusted her. Morgan clutched the lantern tighter in his hands, ambiguity in his chest. None of it made sense, and he was so betwixt and between, it confused him.

Henry leaned back on his hands and looked up at the star-filled sky, the moon shining down brightly on the landscape. "It's okay, you know."

It was not a question, but a statement that only puzzled Morgan all the more. "What's okay?"

"For you to love someone." This made Morgan look at Henry, whom was already looking at him, a smile on his face. "It's okay."

"Is that what this is?" Morgan murmured as his eyes fell back to the lantern. "How do you know? I mean, how did you know that you were in love with Mother?"

"To be honest, I thought she had Tharja cast some weird curse on me, nya ha!" Henry replied. "It felt so weird! I kept trying to take the curse off, but when I realized that no curse was ever put on me, that's when I knew." He reached over and placed a hand on Morgan's shoulder. "You don't want Noire to change because you love everything about her. Am I right?"

Morgan's cheeks turned crimson as he avoided his father's eyes. "I… I guess so. Is that selfish of me?"

"Nah," Henry grinned as he shook his head. "She does want your help, though, and you promised to give it. If you still think it's wrong, just tell her so." He lowered his hand and used it to spruce up the fire with some magic. "Now, I'm sure you want to show her those fireflies, yeah?"

It was a brief moment before Morgan rose to his feet and left to show Noire the fireflies, leaving Henry alone. Before long, Henry went to his and Elena's tent to find her already asleep, tactical book open in her hands. As silently as he could, he walked over to her and gently took the book out of her hands, closed it, and put it down on the ground beside the bed. He sat down next to her on the bed and reached out and put a lock of hair that was in her face behind her ear, which he then leaned down and kissed. It was still a funny thing for everyone in the Shepherds to see: a Plegian Dark Mage, obsessed with death, blood, and curses, to be so deeply and openly in love with the tactician. Yet, to them, no one deserved each other more.

The next morning started out just like any other. Henry and Elena prepared for the day, ate breakfast together, and even sparred with each other. Since Henry's hair was getting a little on the shaggy side, Elena trimmed it for him. Around the time it was for Chrom and Elena to meet, Henry was walking her to Chrom's tent when out of nowhere, Morgan ran up with a wide grin on his face and threw his arms around his father; due to the speed Morgan had gained while running toward him, the two nearly fell off their feet, but Elena steadied them.

"Whoa, there, Morgan!" Henry laughed as he pulled Morgan away from him easily. "You look happy as a hog! Were you out there playing with crows, too?"

"No, Father, not that," Morgan shook his head, a chuckle in his tone. "It worked! Your plan worked! Noire loved the fireflies!"

"Aww, Morgan, that's great," Elena beamed as she rustled his hair.

"Didn't I tell you? Best plan ever!" Henry joked. They noticed that Morgan still seemed to have some news to tell them, for he was becoming increasingly antsy.

"Wait. There's something else, isn't there?" Elena asked. "Well, come on then. Tell us."

"I did what you told me to do, Father. I told her how I felt, and she was really happy that I did." Morgan's cheeks turned red once more. "Remember how I have a copy your ring, Mother?"

"Yes," Elena nodded.

"Well, I… I gave it to her," Morgan continued.

"So that means…"

"Yeah. I asked her to marry me," Morgan grinned widely.

"Wow, Morgan. That's a HUGE step," Henry spoke. "But, we're happy for you!"

"Noire told me," Morgan heard behind him, making him jump. Tharja, somehow or another, had been standing directly behind him the entire time. She poked her head over his shoulder and put a hand on the shoulder, gripping it a smidge tighter than Morgan expected her to be able to. "Congratulations. But, if you break her heart, just now, I'm coming after you with every hex I've got."

"My dear, please, do not frighten the poor lad," Virion said as he walked up to them. He took her hand off Morgan's shoulder and wrapped his hand around it. "If he thinks you're dangerous, just think. If he survives you, he's _me_ to deal with."

"I-I'll take good care of her, Tharja, Virion. I swear," Morgan nervously smiled.

"I'm certain you will," Virion nodded. "Just know that if you do not…"

"Every. Hex. I've got," Tharja darkly smirked as she and Virion disappeared into the shadows.

"Did Virion used to always be like that? You've known him longer," Henry asked Elena.

"N-not at all. I think Tharja is rubbing off on him, and that's not a good thing…" Elena edgily replied.

A week later, the wedding was held. As with the rest of the weddings, Libra was to officiate it, and like the rest before as well, it was simple. Not that it mattered to Morgan and Noire, for they were about as simple as they came. Out of the rest of the future children, Morgan and Noire were the first to be married, and it was certainly an odd event to witness. Before it all started, Elena sent Henry to find Morgan, who was at Henry's and Elena's tent, sitting on their bed. It came as no surprise to see that his son was nervous, so Henry sat down beside him to try to ease his anxiety. Morgan tapped his fingers on his legs, which shook up and down- his nervous trait.

Henry nudged Morgan with his elbow. "Ya know, if you were doing with your arms what you are with your legs, you'd fly away! How awesome would that be, flying with the crows?!"

Morgan let out a chuckle. "You're so weird sometimes, Father."

"I'm weird? I think it's your mother that's the weird one," Henry joked. "Don't worry, you got this."

"Yeah, I guess." Morgan popped his knuckles. "Were you nervous when you and Mother married?"

"Nope!" Henry simply replied. "She was, though. I almost thought I was going to have to hex her to calm her down, but Chrom insisted he talk to her. Suppose he didn't want me to hex his tactician."

"Makes sense," Morgan laughed. "I'm afraid that I'll let her down. I just want to keep her safe. I love her, I really do."

Henry exhaled and leaned forward, suddenly getting really serious. "Morgan, what I'm about to tell you, you cannot tell Elena. Got that?" Morgan nodded. "The promise I made about the crows? I haven't kept it a single day. I always have crows around, just to where she can't see. I worry all the time about her. She puts herself in danger so much, and I know that I can't be around her every minute of every day. My crows have never let me down, so I entrust them to keep her safe. If you want, I can have them watch over Noire, too."

"Father…" Morgan breathed, amazed. "Could you? I would be really grateful."

"You got it." And just as quickly as his serious demeanor came, his normal self returned. "Don't tell your mother. If she knew, she'd CAWse quite a scene."

Morgan and Henry laughed, then Henry looked at Morgan. This was what he had always wanted. To never feel alone again. To love and be loved unconditionally, so much that it hurt his spleen. He had something to fight for. Something to die for- no, to LIVE for. Happiness had been achieved after all this time. In Plegia, he had merely been used for his strength in Dark Magic, not once really knowing love with humans, but with animals. Abandoned and tortured as a child, he had put a mask over his face to hide his true feelings that even now, he was not able to remove. Regardless, Elena, Morgan, and Ricken had shown him love he thought was incapable of ever receiving. If he lost them, he was not sure what he would ever do.

Morgan rose to his feet, prepared now to be married. "Let's go, Father."

"Y'okay!" Henry beamed as he stood up. He started past Morgan, whom clutched onto his cape, stopping him. "Hmm?" he asked as he turned and face Morgan. What he saw shocked him. Tears were in Morgan's eyes. "Wh-what's the matter, Morgan?"

"I want to thank you," Morgan began. "I had no memories of you at all, but you didn't let that bother us. You tried so hard to get closer to me, despite me being from the future and… not really your son." The tears rolled down his cheeks, and this broke Henry's heart. He reached for him, but Morgan shook his head.

"Morgan-"

"You and Mother have really done so much for me since I've came here. Because of you, I have become stronger and have seen what I want out of life." Morgan wiped the tears away. "Memories or not, you don't have to worry about me anymore. I know my way now. And I'm going to do the best I can for Noire. So, thank you, Father." Morgan wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much."

Henry felt something strange fall down his cheek. He reached up, touched it, and brought his hand down to look, stunned to see that it was a tear. Judging by the look on his father's face, Morgan could tell that this was more than likely the first time Henry had ever shed a tear. No more was shed, but that solitary tear was more than both had expected. Henry smiled at Morgan and rustled his hair, and the two left the tent.

That night, after the wedding, Henry and Elena sat in their tent, Elena with a book in her hands that surprisingly enough was not a tactical book. Sumia had loaned her some books to read, and not wanting to be rude, she began reading them. Henry was making something, but Elena was not paying much attention since she was so into the book. Unexpectedly, Henry reached around her and put a necklace made of animal bones around her neck, drawing her interest away from the book. She turned to him, her hand up to the necklace.

"What's this for, Henry?"

"It's a present. I made it out of animal bones," Henry grinned. Normally, Elena would have been repulsed, but because it was from Henry, she was not. She looked down at it, stunned to see that he had made carvings from the bones to look like little wolves. Between each bone was a beautiful, black crow feather. "Don't worry, I didn't kill any of them. They were already dead. And I didn't take the feathers from the crows, either. They were molted." He looked at her, a beaming smile on his face. "Wow, you look as cute as a dead puppy! No wonder I'm head over heels for you!"

"Th-thank you, Henry," Elena smiled at him, blushing from his quirky compliment that only she would understand. "It's beautiful. But, what's the occasion?"

"Hmm? Well, it's a hex of a thing to share the same wedding day as your son. I didn't forget though," Henry answered, a smile still on his face. Elena gasped and covered her mouth; she had been so wrapped up in Morgan and Noire's wedding, she had forgotten it was a year exactly since she and Henry had married.

"Henry, I'm so sorry! I forgot all about it!"

"I could tell. You were running around the camp like a woman possessed, nya ha!" Henry laughed. "Don't be upset. It's no big deal."

"It is a big deal," Elena argued. "Henry, marrying you is the best thing to ever happen to me."

"Woo-hoo! Wait. You lost your memories, and a lot of bad things have happened in the past three years…"

"A lot of good things have happened, too," Elena said as she wrapped her hand around Henry's hand. "I met the Shepherds, who are really amazing people, sure. But then I met you, and we fell in love and married. We found out we're going to at least have a son together." She placed her other hand on top of their combined hands. "My happiness… is because of _you_."

Henry gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Never before had he felt so important. Not only did Morgan tell him how much he meant to him, but Elena did as well. So much had changed, and he knew that he would never again have to fear being alone. Elena moved Henry's arms to allow herself to sit in his lap, and she leaned her forehead on his, her eyes closed.

"I love you, Henry. Will you love me even when we're old and I'm gray?"

Henry closed his eyes as well. "Always."

Passion filled their night afterwards, and when they were spent and Elena was asleep, Henry held her close to his chest. He did not necessarily believe in the gods, but if there _was_ something out there, he was thankful for them giving Elena to him.

At breakfast the next morning, Morgan and Noire met with Henry and Elena, and Tharja and Virion to eat with them. Both looked on the worn out side, but no one dared mention a word for the longest time. That is, until Henry woke up fully once food hit his stomach.

"You look beat, you two. Should I work out some knots? …With this fork?" he asked, holding up his fork. "I suppose you would be after a busy night, nya ha!"

Tharja broke her fork in two, and Virion spit out his drink. Noire nearly fell out of her chair, and Elena buried her face in her hands. Of course, Henry would say something like that.

"_Dad!"_ Morgan nearly growled, pure embarrassment pouring out from him.

"Way to break the ice there, honey," Elena monotonously spoke as she poked from behind her hands at her husband. Henry merely smiled as he shoveled more eggs into his mouth.


	8. Just leave it all to me

_*Hi, guys! Sorry it's taken longer to put this chapter up. I started my internship, and I don't have much time for anything now. I've been writing here and there whenever I get the chance._

I can't recall who gave me the idea for the Henry and Tharja banter coming up, but thank you so much for the inspiration! If you remind me who you are, I'll credit it to you in the next chapter.

Much love, everyone!* 

How could this have happened? Nothing made sense anymore, and she had no time to even think about it. If her friends no longer trusted her, she did not blame them one bit. Not only was Validar her father, but she had a doppelganger as well, and an evil one at that. Oh, and she was also one with the Fell Dragon, Grima. Dizzy, she felt herself being pulled away by Chrom. With no other alternative, the Shepherds fled, but were countered by the enemy. The heat of the battle was increasing with each moment, and it seemed as though there would be no end of the enemies. Somehow, through all the chaos, Henry and Elena were separated and could not even see each other due to the mass chaos of the fight. They fought Plegians, and it worried her about what they would do to Henry; it always was on her mind. As the sun scorched down from above, and the desert sand made it all the more difficult to battle, Elena remained focused on getting out of there alive with everyone going back with her.

She felt someone crash into her back, and when she looked around, she saw that it was Morgan, whom had been knocked back by blocking an attack. To his side, Noire had knocked an arrow and fired it at the enemy, which pierced his heart. Relieved to see that Morgan and Noire were still teamed up, she continued to fight, her eyes scanning the area for anything useful. Her eyes stopped when she saw that Libra was in a struggle with four Plegians, so she rushed to his side to help. Once there, she jumped in front of him, sword in front of her to block an attack by a Plegian soldier, giving Libra the opportunity to kill one of them. What she did not anticipate was one of them to be an assassin, not only wielding swords but a bow as well; the female jumped back and withdrew her bow, knocked an arrow, and shot it at her so quickly, she had no time to think. The arrow stuck in her right shoulder and jerked her backwards and nearly off her feet. She heard herself release a grunt of pain and surprise, then another arrow stuck in her left thigh, bringing her down to a knee. Libra had killed another of the four soldiers and was currently preoccupied with a Myrmidon, so Elena knew she had to think fast.

Quickly, so the pain would be over with, she jerked the arrows out of her limbs. As she started to stand, ignoring the pain in her leg, she heard a massive cawing of crows behind her. The look on the assassin's face could only be described in one word: dread. The onslaught of crows rushed past her, and for a brief second, she felt a hand touch her shoulder. In front of her, the crows dispersed, revealing Henry, Goetia in his hands; even though a smile was on his face, Elena could discern that he was livid.

"I'm gonna kill you!" he cackled as he quickly opened Goetia and threw out his arm. The assassin was engulfed by masses of light and darkness that exploded. Only a small scream could be heard from her as her life was taken quickly from her. Henry then turned to the enemy Libra fought and did the same to him, killing him instantly. Now free from fighting, Libra turned to Elena and healed her enough to where she could stand. Ahead of them, they saw more enemies inbound; Elena suddenly got a brilliant idea.

"Archers! Mages! Ready!" Elena ordered. She then glanced at Henry. "Henry, I need you to summon your crows again. I'm going to use them as a distraction."

Without question, Henry did as Elena said. He held his arms open wide, and almost instantly, a horde of crows flocked to him, their cawing loud in everyone's ears. Virion, Noire, Ricken, Lissa, Maribelle, Tharja, Laurent, Miriel, Owain, and Gaius (who had trained along with Owain as an assassin) readied their bows and spells, waiting for Elena's queue. Elena had never actually witnessed Henry with his crows, but she was surprised to see that he did not talk to them; instead, it seemed that when they enveloped him, it was telepathy. Henry cast out his arm toward the oncoming reinforcements, and the crows flew to them, distracting them. Elena watched closely, waiting for the opportune moment… There!

"Now!" she commanded.

"You guys may wanna scatter!" Henry called out to the crows as he quickly prepared to unleash Goetia. Just as the crows fled, the entire reinforcement was wiped out by the attack. With a sigh that contained both pain and exhaustion, Elena knelt down, holding onto her leg. While Libra had stopped the wound from bleeding anymore, the arrow had pierced completely through, as well as the one that had been shot in her arm. Concerned, Henry plopped down beside her, and Morgan and Noire ran up to her.

"Whoa, look at all that blood!" Henry awed. "Sometimes, too much of a thing is bad, ya know?"

"Oh, believe me, I do," Elena winced as Henry gently touched the wounded area around her leg. Libra made his way to them and examined her leg and arm.

"I'll take care of you once we get back to camp. Can you hold out until then?" he questioned.

"Don't worry, Libra. I'll be fine."

But that was not true in the least. Who was she? How was there _two_ of her? Validar had her under his control, and there was nothing she could do to stop him. She wanted to run away; how could she protect the Shepherds while at the mercy of Validar? A lump rose in her throat as she rose to her feet once more, seemingly in autopilot. Everyone she loved probably no longer trusted her, and she would be alone. One foot in front of the other.

"Whoopsie," she heard Henry speak as she felt him catch her. "You're a little wobbly there, Elena. Probably from all that blood you lost!"

His words did not seem to matter for some strange reason. As she looked around, she could see several of her friends wounded; Ricken was the worst, and Nowi was repressing worried tears over her husband as she held his hand. No way would she let Libra, Maribelle, Lissa, or Brady help her while there were others worse off than her. She called out to Libra and reassured him that she could dress her wounds herself.

"Mother, let one of them help you," Morgan urged.

"I'm fine, Morgan. Really," Elena smiled at him.

The trek back to camp was a long one, and all the while, Elena thought about what had happened. With every step, her legs seemed to get heavier and heavier, and even though he offered to carry her, she would not let her husband do so. The mark on her hand was now an insignia of who she really was, and she wanted to hide it from the world. Upon returning to camp, she excused herself and retreated to her tent to bandage herself. It was her fault that the fight went as badly as it did; providentially, Ricken's condition was not grave, but he would have a new scar on his torso. She had let herself become traumatized by Validar's revelation, and it put everyone in danger. Even she had been wounded. Tank top on and down to her underwear, she felt to cool breeze enter the tent. At her feet was a bucket of water and a cloth, and healing tonic was next to that. She reached down, rung out the cloth, and was just about to wipe the blood away when she heard the flap to her tent open.

"Ricken's going to brag about the scar he's going to have," she heard Henry speak. "With a scar like that, I would, too! I'd show it off to everyone! It's pretty sick-looking, nya ha!"

No words entered her mind as she stared at the cloth in her hand. Innocent, young Ricken had nearly lost his life, and for what? Her mistake? Nowi and Nah would have been so lost, and Henry would have been devastated.

"Elena? Hey, what's the matter?"

"'What's the matter?' Are you serious, Henry?!" Elena yelled, frustrated at the question. "Did you not pay attention at all to what happened?! Did you not hear what Validar- my _father_- said?!" She clutched the cloth tighter in her hand, some water seeping out of it and onto her leg. "It's my fault… All of this is my fault. Ricken's hurt because of me…"

"How is that your fault?"

Elena turned and looked at Henry, her eyes locked firmly onto his. "How is it not? I put everyone in danger! I'm the tactician! I'm supposed to see the best way out! But I…" She looked away from him, bowed her head, and closed her eyes. "I let my emotions get the better of me, and…"

Her voice faltered, and she stopped so that she could prevent herself from crying. She felt Henry pull the cloth gently out of her hand, and when she opened her eyes, she saw him on his knees in front of her, soaking and wringing out the cloth again so he could dress her wounds. A soft smile was on his face, and his eyes were tender as he began to wipe the blood away.

"You know, no one holds this against you," he spoke. A faint gasp escaped Elena's lips. "If anything, they're more with you than ever."

"What about you?" Elena asked.

Henry gave a quick glance up at her then continued to clean the wound on her leg. "What about me?"

"Where… where do you stand?"

"That's a peCAWliar question, Elena. Why would you even need to ask that?" He dipped the cloth in the water, Elena's blood mixing in with the clear substance. All the blood on her leg was washed off, and he reached for the tonic. His statement answered her question, but she was still so unsure of everything.

"I'm… I'm Grima, Henry…" she shakily said. "Doesn't that scare you?"

"Nah, I always wanted a pet dragon. Now look! I'm married to one, nya ha!" Henry joked. "Hold up. This will be one hex of a sting."

He dripped some of the tonic on the wound, and it felt as though someone had stuck a red hot poker to her thigh. A grunt was heard, and she clenched her chair tightly. Just as quickly as it came, the burning sensation eased, and the wound closed and instantly felt better. Henry placed the bottle of healing tonic back next to the bucket, then got the cloth, wrung it out, and started to clean Elena's shoulder. Of course, Henry would make a joke out of this. She expected no different.

"Don't you understand?" she asked. "I am the catalyst to the end of everything… Validar has control over me!" She clenched the seat harder and avoided Henry's eyes. "I don't even know who I am anymore…" Tears fell from her eyes now. "If I were to lose you or Morgan… what would be left of me?"

"Elena," Henry called to her. "Elena, look at me." Her eyes met his steel gray eyes. Always, his eyes had enigmatic nature to them, but when he looked at her, all she saw was love and understanding. "Over my dead, crumpled body would I let anything happen to you or Morgan. I'll throw every hex and curse I've got to keep you two safe and myself alive." He resumed cleaning Elena's shoulder. "So what I may be bleeding from twelve different places when that happens? Blood doesn't bother me one bit, and if it's mine, that makes it all the cooler, nya ha!"

"Henry…"

"I could care less what you were and what you are. To me, you'll always be that crazy lady I fell in love with and married." He put the cloth back in the bucket and grabbed the tonic. "Ready?" When she nodded, he dropped some on her shoulder, the burning sensation returning only briefly. She leaned forward and placed her forehead on his. Closing her eyes, she let his warmth sink into her skin. Everything had changed and continued to change so rapidly that it made her head spin, but she was so thankful for him.

"I'm so scared…" she whispered.

"Hey, don't sweat it," Henry smiled. "If you need me, just say the word, and I'll kill all those in our way. Remember? I've got a knack for killing." He placed a hand on her knee. "Just leave it all to me."

Elena shook her head. "You've done enough, Henry. It's my turn now."

"Are you kidding? You've saved our necks inCAWculable times," Henry said, back to his puns. Elena giggled, and this made Henry smile wider. "That's what I was looking for. You're cute as a dead puppy when you smile, Elena!"

Gods, he was certainly amazing, and seemed to only become more so with each passing day. Just as Elena leaned in to kiss Henry as thanks, Chrom waltzed right into the tent, interrupting yet again.

"Elena, I would-" He stopped when he saw that Elena was not wearing any pants, and his face turned beet red. "I-I'm so sorry!"

"Chrom!" Henry grinned, visibly annoyed as quickly took his cloak off and covered Elena. "Where I've got a knack for killing, you've got a knack for coming in at the wrong times!"

"So it seems, hahaha!" Chrom nervously laughed. "I didn't see anything this time, I swear!"

"_This_ time? There was another time, you say?" The smile on Henry's face certainly was not hiding his emotions. Elena panicked; she had forgotten to tell Henry about the times she and Chrom walked in on each other bathing. Hindsight was a bitch sometimes. Chrom let out another uneasy laugh.

"Did I say that? I didn't say that! Elena, did I say that?"

"Er-"

"Morgan, I'm so sorry! Mother, leave him be!" they heard Noire yell outside. Thank the gods that this awkward situation was interrupted as Chrom and Henry ran out. Elena quickly put on a pair of slack wear and ran out as well. What she saw was without a doubt the most hilarious and craziest thing she had even witnessed. Henry and Noire were next to Morgan, whom could not stop sneezing. Virion had his hand on Tharja's shoulder in efforts to stop her, and Chrom, along with the rest of the Shepherds, stood by, confused.

"Mother! Take the curse off!"

"The curse stays," Tharja stated.

"My dear, he did not mean for it to happen. It was but an accident," Virion spoke up.

"Tharja, I- ACHOO!- I'm sorry," Morgan said through sneezing. "I didn't know- ACHOO!- that I had a bee- ACHOO!- on me! I- ACHOO ACHOO!- didn't mean for it to st-ACHOO!-sting her!"

"Don't care. Curse stays."

"What? This little thing? I can just remove it easy-peasy!" Henry grinned. He waved his hand over Morgan, and in mid-sneeze, the curse dissipated. Tharja scowled at this.

"Did I give you permission to remove the curse?" she asked.

"Did I give you permission to cast one?" Henry retorted, an aggravated smile on his face.

"Anyone else feel that?" Severa asked. "I did. That was pure sass."

"Oh, I can always cast another one. I've got plenty." Tharja's smile held utter deviousness.

"Line 'em up," Henry taunted. "I can get rid of them faster than you can cast."

"Dad, what are you doing?! Don't taunt her!" Morgan begged.

"She'll do it! She will!" Noire panicked.

"Let's just see if those legends about you hold up or not," Tharja goaded.

"If practice makes perfect, then an extra bit of practice is perfectly fine by me," Henry smirked.

Through her laughter, Elena stepped between them. "No one is casting any hexes or curses tonight. Tharja, accidents happen, and I would appreciate it greatly if you would not hex my son."

"If you wish it, Elena, it will be done," Tharja smiled at her.

"Henry," Elena called, eyeing her husband, "you know better. Go to the tent."

"Yes, ma'am," Henry nodded, and did just as she told.

"There's nothing more to see, everyone," Elena said, trying hard not to laugh. "Just resume whatever it was you were doing before."

As they scattered, Elena felt someone peck her shoulder. When she turned, she saw it was Ricken, being helped by Nowi and Nah. Shirtless with bandages around his torso, without his hat and in slack pants, it hit her then just how much he had grown in three years. Never once had he run away from a battle or even acted remotely frightened, and he protected others to the best of his capabilities. His magical prowess had skyrocketed due to Henry's help, and he was a force to be reckoned with by now. He was certainly becoming a fine young man, one that his family would be proud of. Still slightly pale from his blood loss during the battle, he held a smile regardless.

"R-Ricken! Gods, you should be lying down!" Elena fussed.

"Don't talk down to me," Ricken said, not trying to sound mean, but to make a point. "I'm not a kid anymore, you know."

"I know that," Elena exhaled. She tried to not stare at the bandages, but it was difficult not to. "Ricken, I'm so sorry…"

"Eh? For?" Ricken asked, an eyebrow raised in perplexity. Elena pointed at his wound. "You didn't do that. My carelessness did. Nothing to worry about!"

"He wanted to thank you and Henry for what you two did," Nowi piped up.

"Yeah! That was awesome!" Ricken awed. "I was struck right after we fired, but I still got to see the show!"

"Tell Henry thanks for lending us his crows," Nah said. "I'm sure he worried about them, and I'm glad they weren't hurt."

"I will," Elena smiled. "Now, Ricken, go back to the medical tent and get some rest."

"Okay, okay."

When they left, Elena returned to the tent to find Henry sitting on a chair, petting a crow. No doubt one of the many that had helped them in the previous fight, she walked over and told the crow her thanks. While she pet the crow, she realized that none of the Shepherds acted angry or bitter towards her; instead, they were warm and treated her the same as always. It was just as Henry had said; no one held her at fault. Even though the Shepherds depended on her, she depended on them just as much and was appreciative for meeting them. Even if she was Grima, she would still fight. For them. For her family. For herself. She found herself smiling, and when she looked down, she could see Henry smiling up at her.

"Yes?"

"You're not mad at me about using my crows, are you?"

A laugh erupted from Elena. "Consider this to be a pass."

"Does that mean I can have them around more?"

"Don't push it," she giggled.

"Meh. It was worth a shot," Henry shrugged. "Right, buddy?" he asked the crow, who let out a squawk and flew away. "You're no fun."

"What did he say?"

"He said no."

"Imagine that," Elena chuckled as she kissed Henry's cheek.


	9. Father

_*Huge shout-out to RuinsOfTime for giving me the idea of the Tharja and Henry banter in the previous chapter! Thank you so much for the inspiration to that little chitchat they had, and as you'll see from here on out, that will sort of "continue". _

_Also, to the ones who are "guests" and read/comment on this: Thank you! Those of you who have a profile and comment on my stories, you all know that I message you thanks, so to those who do not and read this and comment under "guest", I just want to say thank you so much!_

_This is going to be a two-part section of this fanfiction. This goes back to Henry's childhood, so be prepared to have some feels. The next chapter will have more hilarity in it.*_

"Ooo, I can already tell this is going to be _wonderful_," Cherche sighed as they entered the hot springs.

After the previous battle and revelations, Anna felt as though the group needed another day for relaxation and pampering. Another one of her sisters owned the hot springs, and when Anna contacted her about reserving the springs for the Shepherds, her sister gladly obliged. Recalling the fiasco with the swimsuits at the beach, everyone was slightly chary of Anna's intentions, but with a little reassuring, they warmed up to the idea and gradually agreed to go. It was certainly a beautiful resort. Bamboo was all around, and fog from the springs filled the area. Large stones were circled around the springs along with a stone walkway that lead to them. They had arrived at sunset, but Anna's sister would allow them to stay overnight at the inn and use the springs as much as they wanted. Naturally, it was divided in two sections for the men and women.

Everyone readied themselves to enter the springs. Ricken, still wounded from the previous battle, was unable to fully lower himself in the water; instead, he sat on the side and submerged his feet and legs. It felt great, and he was let down he could not submerge his whole body in it. When Henry noticed this, he muttered something under his breath, put his hands on Ricken's torso and back, from which a faint light glowed. Upon removing his hands, Ricken stared at his torso, confused.

"Did you just hex me?"

"Yes, sir!" Henry honestly replied. "Don't worry, this is a good hex. It will protect your wound from the water- kinda like a barrier, see? Only thing is, you won't feel anything on your back and torso. Oh, and it only lasts for a few minutes. Can't have your cake and eat it, too."

"Cake?!" Gaius asked, his eyes darting around the springs in search for cake. "I want some cake."

"It's a figure of speech, Gaius," Ricken laughed. He lowered himself into the water. "This is great, Henry. Thanks!"

The men relaxed and were surprised at how easily they found it to do so. Due to the constant battles and stresses, they thought that perhaps it would take some time for them to fully unwind at the hot springs; perhaps a day like this was what they truly needed, and they hoped that the women were able to find peace the little while they were there. Even Gerome took off his mask due to some convincing from Lon'qu. Because of the heat and steam, their cheeks were reddened. The moon shone down on them from overhead, and the stars were bright in the black sky. It was so strange for them that it was so peaceful, when perhaps just hours ago, they had fought Risen on the way here; they chose to not think about the war or enemies, and to simply take it easy for the short time that was allotted them.

All was quiet for some time until Frederick chose to speak.

"Henry," he called.

"Yes, sir?"

Henry respected Frederick, despite his madness about fitness. Because of Frederick's training, not only was Henry powerful in magic, but was stronger now. The Shepherds owed it to Frederick's "fanatical fitness hour", as they termed it, that they had become so strong and capable. They knew that Sully and Stahl had been under his tutelage since they were merely children, and how the two survived him when they were so young was unknown to them.

Frederick straightened his back, allowing his muscles to flex a little; the water's heat made them relax, and already, his back was feeling much better. "Something has been on my mind for quite some time now."

"Don't worry, Frederick. I'm still working out every day," Henry grinned nervously. It was the truth; Frederick would have his head if he wasn't.

"No, not that."

"Oh, good! I-I mean, what's on your mind?"

"We know so little about you concerning your past. Would you be willing to share that with us?" Frederick asked. "Everyone else has shared their stories, but you have yet to."

Henry made a peculiar smile when he realized that everyone was looking at him. Ricken knew, of course, but his attention was still on his best friend; how would he handle the question? Interested as well, Morgan waited as to what his father would say. In the future, Henry had never revealed his youth to him, and he had yet to now.

"I don't share that with just everyone, you know," Henry said.

"I understand that, but you've been with us a year and a half now. We simply wish to be acquainted with you better," Frederick stated carefully. Henry always had such a wall around him, and it would not surprise him if he completely shut him down. Henry glanced at Morgan to see that his eyes were filled with inquisitiveness. Of course, he would not know of his father's past; he never had the chance to. His eyes shifted to Ricken, whom looked down at the water with sadness in his eyes. If anything, Ricken didn't want Henry to recall his past, but it didn't bother him anymore. Even so, a man should be allowed to have his secrets, right? At any rate, he felt as though it was time his friends knew.

Henry smiled warmly at Morgan then opened his mouth to begin…

_Unkempt white hair blowing due to the speed of his run, Henry ran up to his mother, a wide smile on his face as he tugged on her skirt in effort to gain her attention. A book was in her hands, and after several tugs, she exhaled impatiently and looked at her son. Snaggle-toothed, with one front tooth missing, he grinned widely for her as he reached in his pocket and pulled out a caterpillar. Big, steel-gray eyes opened wide and filled with love and wonderment, he held it toward her in the palm of his little hands._

"_What is it, Henry?" his mother monotonously questioned._

"_I made a new friend! See?" he smiled wider as he held it up higher. "Say hello, Mr. Caterpillar!" _

_His mother's eyes fell back to the book. "You can't make friends with caterpillars, Henry." _

"_But, I did!" Henry giggled, holding the caterpillar to his cheek. "He even talked to me! Said he couldn't wait to become a butterfly!" _

"_Don't be ridiculous."_

_Henry's smile dropped slightly, but he still held it. "I'm not, Mama. A lot of animals talk to me. They even like it when I show them my powers! Right, Mr. Caterpillar?"_

_His mother nearly dropped her book. She stared straight forward, a vacant look on her face. "Powers?" She dropped the book now and firmly grabbed Henry's shoulders. "You've been practicing, haven't you?" _

"_Ouchie!" he winced at his mother's grip. "O-Only in the forest, where people can't see. Don't worry, Mama. I make sure no one is around. Well, except for animals like Mr. Caterpillar." _

_She stood up and glared down at him. "How many times have we told you? You can't use your magic!" _

_Henry's smile was now completely gone. "Sometimes, I can't help it. It just comes out on its own. When I'm angry, it's harder to-"_

"_Enough!" his mother interrupted him. Henry clamped his mouth shut. "When your father gets home, he'll know what to do with you." _

_She turned to walk away, but Henry clamped his little hand that did not have Mr. Caterpillar on her skirt, stopping her. "Mama…" he whispered. "Mama, please don't be mad. I didn't mean to, honest." _

_It was as if his words fell on deaf ears, and she continued to walk away, her skirt slipping out of his hold. Eyes full of sadness, Henry looked at Mr. Caterpillar to see it inching up his arm. A smile returned to his face as he resumed playing with it. _

_Soon after this, his mother and father sent him to a school for wizards and witches and left him there. During his stay at the school, it was discovered that his pain threshold was more tolerant than most, so experiments were performed on him by students and teachers both. Sometimes, it was to see what he could endure; other times, it was simply for magical prowess by the students. On his own, Henry studied dark magic and normal magic both. Wanting to gain a better understanding and grasp on his powers, he tried with all he could. Due to the experiments, he realized that his tolerance for pain had become increasingly high, and nothing bothered him anymore. In due time, it was discovered by teachers that he had honed his skills faster than the other students combined, and not wanting him there any further, they contacted his parents to come and get him. No longer the snaggle-toothed boy, Henry had longed to return home for quite some time. Still young and tender, he was excited to see his parents arrive for him. _

_Oh, how he talked. Their trek back to Henry's home was through a dense forest, and Henry seemed to never run out of ideas or topics to discuss. He tried holding onto his parents' hands, but they would slip it out of his grasp and press on, silent. He knew. He knew that something was not right, but he had wanted to see his parents again and to show them that he had gained better control over his magic. That night, they set up camp in the forest, Henry using his magic to make a campfire. Hoping it made his parents proud, it was not long before sleep found Henry. _

_Alone. He stood alone in the forest the next morning, staring down at the ashes and embers of the campfire, his parents nowhere in sight. Why? Why did they leave him all alone? Why did they not want him? Why did they hate him? It was strange; he did not even feel like crying. In a way, he felt as though he expected this to happen. If anything, he wanted to find his parents again and beg them to give him another chance, but he knew that if they had wanted him with them, they would have never left him even once. Numbness was all his little body could feel, and his mind seemed dizzy. _

_Without much of a choice, he wandered the dense, vast forest. At night, he would climb up in trees so as to be out of danger of predators. Of course, this meant no campfires, so he found himself to be cold at night. Day after day, just as he thought he had found his way out of the forest, he would discover that he was lost or had found a clearing. Because of his stay at the school, he had learned how to survive harsh conditions, but nothing like this. He hated killing animals for food, but he knew it had to be done in order for him to endure. Sleep eluded him, and due to his inexperience for survival in a situation such as this, his strength began to fade. One night, after climbing up in a tree (which he barely managed to do in part of his weakness), he passed out and fell to the forest floor below. _

_Warmth. How was he so warm? Unable to open his eyes just yet, he felt around, astonished when he acknowledged it was fur in his hands. So soft. He had become used to sleeping on hard bark, so the feeling of soft fur was indeed a welcoming sensation. His ears picked up the sound of a beating heart and breathing, and he knew he was lying on some sort of creature. Slowly, he opened his eyes to see that he was lying on a beautiful white wolf. He sat up and pet the wolf gently. The wolf locked its eyes on him, and with its nose nudged something toward him. When he looked down, he saw a dead rabbit in front of him; the wolf had even brought him food. _

"_You saved me," he breathed. He leaned down and placed his forehead on the top of the wolf's head. "Thank you." _

_It was almost like an instant bond had been shared between the two at that point. Not often did the wolf leave Henry's side unless it was to hunt for food. Much was learned by both man and creature, and it amazed Henry. All his short life, he had been abandoned by humans, and yet this wolf had saved his life and became his friend. At night, Henry would sleep with the wolf, and the wolf ensured that he stayed warm. This was the closest thing to a family that Henry had ever had. If danger ever appeared, the wolf and Henry fought together. What would have been odd for most was not for Henry when he called the wolf "Father". _

_Four years passed. Now twelve years old, Henry had become so in-tune with nature and animals that he could carry on conversations and feel what they felt. Without having to rely on Father, he could discern when danger was to appear and when the weather would be malevolent. Able to hunt as well as Father, Henry would acquire food for both to eat. Clothes were obtained if he came across abandoned wagons around the forest. He could have left years ago, but who could he trust? Certainly no humans. Father had never let him down. Other than Father, crows had become Henry's closest allies. Often, he would find himself relying on them for direction and as cover during hunts._

_It was a routine hunt. Henry had killed two pheasants and was on his way back when he smelled something he had not smelled in years. Humans were nearby. Worried about Father, Henry hurried back to the last place he had seen Father. He jerked to a stop, the pheasants dropping to the ground. A trail of blood lead in the opposite direction he had just come from, and the scent of human was strong. As hastily as he could, he tracked the trail out of the forest to see three hunters, one with Father slung over his back. Straight away, Henry knew, and his whole world shattered. A tortured scream escaped his lips, which in turn startled the hunters, but not for long. Their lives ended as payment for them taking Father from Henry. _

_Unable to stand due to his shaking knees, Henry collapsed to his knees and looked forlornly at Father. His gorgeous white fur was now dyed in red due to the blood, but it seemed as though he was merely sleeping. Blood from the hunters was on Henry, and he was angry at himself for not making their deaths all the more painful. Crows began to fly around Henry, but not a single caw was heard. With an unsteady hand, Henry reached out and placed it on Father and bowed his head. Tears were just about to escape his eyes when he felt a hand clasp his shoulder._

"_We saw what you did, boy," he heard a gruff voice speak. He looked back to see Mustafa behind him. "We would have done the same."_

_He looked at Father again. He knew not the man which spoke to him, nor did he care. Once more, he was alone. _

"_Your magic is powerful, boy. The Plegian army could use that power," Mustafa said. Henry pet Father gently, not a word said. "If you'd like, you could come with us. You wouldn't be alone." _

_At this moment, something inside Henry changed. It hit him then that all he would ever be was some instrument for someone to use. His entire existence was to be a weapon or a device for people to take advantage of. While he did fear being taken advantage of, he feared being alone more. It was a cruel, sick joke that he was in this position with no way out. He wanted to run. Wanted to scream. Wanted to kill everyone. A million thoughts coursed through his mind at this time, and Mustafa was waiting for his answer._

"_Well, boy?"_

"_I have a name. It's Henry."_

_Mustafa nodded. "Well, Henry?"_

"_I'll go with you," Henry said. _

"_That's grand," Mustafa grinned. "But, are you all right?" _

_Henry turned to face him, and the grin that was on his face threw Mustafa off. He never expected to see such a smile on a child's face after what had just occurred. What was to be expected was tears and heartbreak; instead, Henry rose to his feet and continued to smile._

"_Yes, sir!" he replied in an uppity tone. "As long as you don't mind a bunch of crows tagging along."_

_Mustafa noticed that Henry had his finger pointed in the trees, and certainly enough, dozens of crows had their eyes on Henry. A chuckle was heard from Mustafa. _

"_Not at all," he said. "Let's go, Henry." _

A smile was still on Henry's face, despite the fact that everyone seemed to be disheartened by the tale. Not once did they imagine that Henry had gone through so many events, and at such a young, tender age. It made sense as to why he always wore that smile; it was just as much of a mask as Gerome's actual mask was.

"And so ends that!" Henry chuckled. "Any questions, comments, or concerns? Oh, by the way, Ricken, the hex is about to wear off."

"Damn, Junior…" Gaius whispered as Ricken climbed out of the hot spring. "Remind me to give you a piece of candy later."

"Ooo, I can have one? Really, Gaius?" Henry asked excitedly.

"I'm feeling generous today," Gaius shrugged.

"Woo-hoo! I want the one that tastes like raspberries! You still got that?"

"But, that's my favorite kind," Gaius murmured, a pout on his face. "Fine, fine. Gods, you're really working my generosity today."

"So, what happened after Mustafa took you in, Father?" Morgan questioned.

"Well, Validar began teaching me dark magic and all that. It was a hex of a time, nya ha!" Henry answered. "He certainly didn't hold back on me, and it CAWst me when I goofed. When we'd fight someone, Mustafa would give me a piece of candy for every person I killed." He looked at Gaius. "So, you giving me candy for no reason is awesome!"

"Dammit, Junior. Now, I gotta give you two pieces," Gaius groaned.

"Do you… ever want to go back? To Plegia, that is," Chrom asked.

"Nope!" Henry replied effortlessly. "Didn't really have friends there. I like it here. Plus, I think Elena would be really mad at me if I did."

"I see," Chrom smiled. "We're glad to have you, Henry."

"Nya ha! Birds of a feather and all that, right?" Henry joked.

"Right," Frederick laughed. "Birds of a feather."

Just then, Henry suddenly held up his hand and swiped it through the air in what seemed to be a smack. From the women's side of the hot springs, they heard Tharja growl in frustration, and this confused everyone other than Ricken and Virion greatly. Ricken just laughed, his hand on his side; whenever he laughed, his side would hurt since it was not fully healed. Virion released an exasperated sigh and rubbed his temples.

"What in tarnation was that all about?" Brady thought aloud.

"Oh, nothing," Henry grinned. He turned to Ricken. "Does she realize that's her fifth failed attempt?"

"I do believe she does," Ricken continued to laugh.

"Oh dear," Virion exhaled. "I do apologize, Henry."

"What for? This is fun!" Henry beamed. "Tell her I said to line 'em up!"

"I'm really starting to question who I let into the Shepherds…" Chrom muttered as he narrowed his eyes at Henry.


	10. The Best Way to Apologize

_*Disclaimer: _

_Uh… ahem. There is going to be some sexual instances in this. If I need to up the rating to M, please let me know! Also, if you all would per chance like some smut of this, I'll do separate writings and put M ratings on them. I've never written smut before, but I'm willing to give it a shot for those who are interested!_

_Anywho, carry on!*_

Elena sunk down into the water, and instantly, her body felt as though weeks of stress had been washed away. Muscles she forgot she even had relaxed, and a sigh slipped out from her lips. Unquestionably, the other women felt this way as well since she heard several let out the same sigh. Anna sure knew how to pick "vacation" spots. Ever since Elena had discovered her true identity, she had been on pins and needles. Amazed that the Shepherds thought of her as unthreatening, she worried obstinately about Validar gaining control over her and forcing her to harm her friends. Yet, as of this moment, she chose to lose focus on that matter. Crickets could be heard chirping their songs, and the night was so peaceful that it almost felt as though they were in another world.

She looked at the future daughters. They had all escaped that hellish place, only to come to another hell. All she wanted to do was to grant them a future worth having. Most of the future children were married now: Morgan and Noire, Lucina and Gerome, Nah and Yarne, Inigo and Severa, Owain and Kjelle, and Brady and Cynthia had fallen in love in this time since it had been impossible during their own. Elated that they were able to find some happiness, Elena found a smile on her face as she closed her eyes.

"This is what I'm talking about," Severa spoke. "A girl deserves to be treated like a princess every so often!"

"Agreed," Miriel nodded.

"I wonder what they're doing over there," Cherche said with a nod in the direction of the men's spring.

"We could go spy on them," Sully suggested with a wink.

"C-Certainly not!" Olivia blushed. "The only one I want to see like that is my husband!" As soon as she said this, her entire body seemed to turn infrared from mortification, making the other women laugh. "I didn't mean- oh, gods, how embarrassing!"

"Olivia, relax. Donny _is_ your husband, after all," Elena giggled. Her mind then wandered to what Henry was doing, and to what he looked like over there. Anna's sister had let them borrow bathing suits for the springs, so surely she let the men borrow trunks. Before long, dirty thoughts entered her mind, and she was glad her cheeks were red from the heat of the spring to conceal her blush.

"Elena?" she heard Sumia call, breaking her out of her… interesting thoughts. She looked at Sumia, whom had her eyes on her. Her eyes held sympathy, and Elena was unsure as to why.

"What's the matter, Sumia?"

"I'm sorry to bring this up, but… well, we haven't really talked about _it_," Sumia nearly whispered.

"Oh." Elena took her eyes away from Sumia and to the water. It was true; they had not spoken about it since it happened. Everyone just wanted to let Elena know that no matter who or what she was, they would always be her friend, and not talking about it was the only way they knew to do so. The other ladies looked saddened as well, but the discussion could not be ignored any longer.

"Aren't you scared?" Sumia questioned.

"Scared… isn't even the word for it," Elena answered honestly. "I'm always thinking about if Validar or Grima use me again. What if I hurt one of you? Henry? Morgan?" She closed her eyes tight, and the girls could tell that she was trying to shut out dark thoughts. After a brief moment, she opened her eyes. "Everyone here means so much to me. I don't have any memories of my past, but my memories here with you will forever remain with me. I'll not let anyone take those away."

"What did Henry say? You know, about all this?" Lissa asked.

"The usual Henry stuff," Elena giggled. "He's so reassuring about this. I just… I feel so badly for him. I don't know what's wrong with me. I feel like I'm distancing myself from him."

Maribelle leaned her head to the side, obviously curious. "Pray, tell."

"Well, er… I…" Elena was embarrassed to say how, but why would she be after the conversation they had all had at the beach? She took a deep breath. "We've not been intimate since that time. I've barely shown him any kind of emotion, and I don't sleep close to him anymore." She sighed and rubbed her shoulder. "I know it doesn't make sense, but…"

"No. No, Elena, it does make sense," Cordelia spoke. "As you said before, you're scared. You're letting your fears control you, and you shouldn't do that. Henry loves you and is willing to go through this by your side, but only if you let him."

Elena's eyes widened in realization that what Cordelia stated was true. Time and time again, Henry had encouraged her and continued to be her support when she deserved no one. In his own quirky ways, he expressed repeatedly his love for her, and it was because of this that she was so intimidated by the thoughts of losing him or doing harm to him. What she was doing to him was an injustice, and guilt washed over her like waves on the beach. Cordelia knew right away that Elena felt culpable, and she smiled warmly at her.

"Don't worry about it. All you need to do is simply apologize."

"But how?" Elena questioned.

"By giving him amazing sex, that's how!" Sully grinned mischievously.

As soon as Sully said this, Cynthia let out a groan and Severa turned to her with an open palm. "Pay up."

"Gods, Sully! You made me lose my bet!" Cynthia whined.

"What bet was this, Cynthia?" Sumia asked, audibly suspicious. Cynthia winced at her mother's tone.

"We bet on whether or not Sully would bring up sex during this trip. I lost," Cynthia replied.

"A judicious response," Miriel agreed with Sully. "Partaking in the performance of intimacy will indubitably facilitate the sentiment he is loved once more."

"I never stopped loving him, Miriel."

"An obvious observation," Miriel smiled. "However, he may feel superfluous. This would certainly augment his spirits."

Cherche could not help but giggle. "I'm sure the poor man is suffering if you cut him off so suddenly, since you two did such an activity almost nightly. Whenever you're ready, do as Sully says and give that boy sex!"

"Cherche!" Elena gasped; she was not used to hearing Cherche talk about intimacy so freely. At this, the other ladies began to laugh, and she could not help but join them in their mirth.

Late in the night, everyone was prepared to go to bed, the couples all in rooms of their own. Grateful to Anna's sister's extending generosity, upon entering their rooms, they found yukatas and kimonos for them to wear. Well, except for Henry, that is, so he went to find Anna's sister for one. Once he retrieved his and made his way to his and Elena's room, he discovered she was not there. He put it on and waited for a moment or two for his wife to return, and when she did not, he left to find her. It took only one trip to the hot springs to find her sitting on the side, her legs submerged in the water, her yukata rolled up as to not wet it. Quietly, he walked up to her, rolled up his kimono to not get it wet, either, and sat down next to her. For a while, he felt as though something was amiss about her, but whenever he asked, she shut him out, so he let it be. She had been rather distant lately, and if anything, all he wanted was to sit beside her, if she noticed him or not.

"Henry," she piped up.

"Hmm?"

She moved her legs in the water. "I've not been the best wife to you recently, and I just... My fears got the better of me, and instead of going to you about them, I took them out on you." With eyes full of love, she looked at her husband. "I'm sorry."

"Did you think I was mad?"

"I don't know. Maybe," she shrugged.

"Nah," Henry smiled. "I just thought that someone had put a hex on you, is all. I tried removing it, and I was getting frustrated because something was still wrong. Glad to know it was only your nerves. If someone _had_ hexed you, there would have been blood, nya ha!"

Elena could not help but laugh. Naturally, Henry would have thought she had been hexed. Not too keen on feelings himself, he sometimes had a difficult time noticing whenever she was distressed or irritated. It was during those times that she had to tell him what was wrong with her, and at times, that bothered her; yet, he never failed to help, whatever the issue was. The fact that he tried to remove the "hex" and had become frustrated because he could not made her realize the injustice she had done to him. Not only that, but it made her heart nearly melt. A rather familiar warmth was felt on her skin as he placed his hand on top of her hand.

"You think I'm joking?" he questioned, his tone light. "Come on, Elena. Don't make a moCAWry of me."

Another laugh came from her as she mischievously shoved him. "You can be such a dork sometimes."

"Hey, as long as you're happy, I'm happy," he told her. She smiled at him, the smile true for the first time in a long while. For Henry, it had been almost too long since he had seen her smile like that. What he told her was true; he had tried countless times to remove a hex that simply wasn't there, and whenever he would ask her to talk, she closed down. Now that she had revealed to him the reason for her dismay and a smile was once again on her beautiful face, he found himself to be at ease. He stood up and held a hand out. "You ready to get some sleep?"

She reached up and took hold of his hand with a nod. Once he pulled her to her feet, they began to walk back to their room. Not meaning to stare, she watched Henry as they walked together. Always with a smile on his face and with a carefree attitude, there was so much more to him than most knew. Worry filled her mind as she recalled the comment Miriel made about him feeling unloved. Had he started to feel that way while she had been distant? She stopped walking, which in turn made him stop as well. For some time, she simply looked into his eyes, trying to read him; even though they had been married for over a year, he was still difficult to comprehend.

Henry tilted his head to the side. "What do you need?"

"Did… did you ever feel like I didn't love you anymore?" she hesitantly asked. Even though she was afraid of the answer, she expected him to think on it for some time, so when he answered immediately, it surprised her.

"Nope! What gave you a crazy idea like that? I thought we were past all this crazy stuff, ha ha!"

Something came over her in that instant, and before she could slow herself down, she quickly leaned up and began to kiss Henry. She threw her arms around his neck, and she could discern that this action took him by pleasant surprise. His hands lowered to her hips and pulled her closer to him, his warmth a convivial sensation on her skin. No more. No more would she let her fears control her actions and her love. She had missed out on some things while she had allowed this to occur, but never again. They found themselves unwilling to disconnect their kiss, so they tried to make their way to their room. When she bit his lip, however, she felt her back pleasurably slam against the stone wall of one of the rooms, making a harsh thud.

"What was that?" they heard Sumia sleepily ask.

"I don't know. I'll go check. Stay here," Chrom said.

They dove into a bamboo thicket, Henry on top of Elena as they heard Chrom pick up Falchion and head outside. Elena let out a quiet giggle as she wondered why they had retreated into the bamboo thicket instead of running to their room. Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt Henry undo her yukata and kiss her neck. Chrom's footsteps grew louder, and the louder they became, the lower Henry would plant each kiss until… Her head snapped back, and Henry covered her mouth as she let out a low moan.

"Anyone out here?" Chrom called.

Henry smirked as he continued, Elena doing everything she could to keep quiet. Gods, he certainly knew how to drive her wild. A small prayer every entity she knew that Chrom would not hear or find them was silently said in her mind. Nearly overwhelmed because of her husband, her quietness was becoming all the more difficult to obtain, and she could tell Henry was enjoying every second of it. Her hands gripped his hair as his hand was still over her mouth, muffling whatever noise did escape from her.

Wait a minute, wasn't it supposed to be her to have…? Altruistic as always, Henry wanted to make her happy, and she- _oh, Gods_- would do everything in her power to make him as blissful as he made her.

"Chrom?" Sumia called.

"It's nothing," Chrom answered as they heard him walk away.

When they were certain he was gone, Henry uncovered Elena's mouth, not stopping until she had her release. He rose up and kissed her, a devious grin on his face. She let out a small giggle as she pushed him down and straddled him.

"That was almost awkward," she whispered. "What if he had caught us?"

"Wouldn't have been the first time."

"Like that, it would have been," Elena blushed.

"He would've only seen you. I would have cursed his eyeballs for that, nya ha!"

"So, why is it you still have clothes on?" Elena grinned. She hastily began to remove his kimono, and while doing so, a rip was heard. "Oh, Gods. Henry, I'm _so_ sorry. I just made a huge rip in your kimono."

"Meh, it's not mine. It belongs to Anna's sister's husband."

Elena slammed her hand on her forehead. "How are we going to explain this to her? Oh, hey, here's your husband's kimono back that we ripped last night while having sex!"

"Sounds good to me," Henry casually agreed.

"No, Henry, that's not going to work! We'll have to think of something," she said, motioning between the two of them

"By 'we', you mean 'you'," Henry smiled anxiously, his index finger scratching his cheek. "You know I can't lie, Elena. Never told one in my life."

"Gee, thanks for leaving this up to me," Elena sighed. "I'm going to have to think of something that sounds remotely possible. Let's see… you were sleepwalking and fell? How does that sound?"

Henry put his hands on Elena's hips, a slightly annoyed smile on his face at her sudden stop. "So, are we going to do this or…?"

Elena looked down at him and blinked. He not only wanted this, but he visibly needed this. She let out a giggle. "I'm sorry! I'm just thinking, is all!"

"Do you know how little I care about the damn kimono right now?" Henry said.

Elena couldn't stop laughing. "You're right." She finally regained her composure and leaned down and kissed him. "Now, where were we?"

The next morning, Elena and Henry awoke in their room. Sometime during the night, they had made their way back into their room and continued their passion there. Elena had no doubts in her mind she had made him happy numerous times throughout the night, as he had her. Embarrassingly enough, however, she had bit his lip so hard at one point, she busted his lip. Because he could barely feel any pain, he did not notice it was busted until when she kissed him, she tasted blood. When she looked at it in the morning, not only was a mark there, but a dark bruise as well.

"Look at it this way," Henry said. "They're likely to believe you now when you say I fell."

In line, everyone was returning their yukatas and kimonos. When it was Henry's and Elena's turn, Henry handed over his kimono wordlessly. He avoided Anna's sister's gaze when she looked at the tear in it and her raised eyebrow when she saw Henry's busted and bruised lip. Elena could feel everyone's eyes on the two of them, and she broke out in a cold sweat. Henry just stood mutely beside her, his customary smile on his face.

"What on earth happened to this kimono?" she questioned.

"He fell last night while going to the bathroom," Elena rapidly answered, her voice cracking slightly. What the hell was she thinking? Henry had never told a lie, and she was horrible at lying, so it was obvious that they were going to crash and burn. If the scream that was internal could have been heard, everyone would have been deaf at this moment. What a relief it was when she heard her laugh.

"No worries! I can just mend this right up! Sorry about your tumble," she said. "Next?"

Elena let out a sigh of reprieve; how it worked, she had no idea. Perhaps fortune smiled on her since her luck had been horrible as of late. When she and Henry turned, they could see that everyone in the Shepherds knew of their lie; Morgan had a horrified and disgusted look on his face at the recognition of his parents' acts the previous night while Noire patted his back in pity. Ricken shook his head, a smile on his face that seemed to say, "Really, guys?" And then, there was Chrom, whose face was infrared when he realized what the noise outside had been, and that he had been standing merely feet away from them. They were not sure whose face was the more priceless: Morgan's or Chrom's. Thank the gods Sumia was completely oblivious to what had happened.

Quiescence lasted moments until Miriel opened her mouth to speak. "I presume mine and Sully's proposal came to fruition. What was the conclusion of our hypothesis?"

Elena's cheeks burst red at Miriel's remark. Sully sniggered as she leaned onto Gaius, whom also laughed, giving away that his wife had told him about it. Henry was confused, as always, so he merely kept his smile on his face as Elena grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him away, her eyes fixated ahead so as to avoid everyone's gazes. Miriel and Sully laughed together.

"Gods, I wish I could just disappear right now," Elena groaned.

"I could do that. Want me to summon my crows?"

"As much as I would like that, no crows. Remember?"

Suddenly, in the distance, they could see an army of Risen heading their way. The rest of the Shepherds noticed this and prepared for battle. Never before had Elena been relieved to enter battle. Sword in her hand and tome in Henry's, they stood side by side, ready to face the enemy head-on.

"Looks like these guys are just DYING to give you a hand, Elena!" Henry joked. "Get it? Dying? Nya ha!"

"I get it!" they heard Ricken laugh.

"Oh, hey, I got one!" Elena piped up. "You're fighting, aren't you, Ricken?"

"What? Of course!"

"Good! Because you are a force to be RICKENED with!"** Elena laughed. Henry, Ricken, and Morgan laughed loudly at this while the rest of the Shepherds groaned at the pun.

"And this is why I love you," Henry said as he popped a quick kiss on Elena's cheek just as the battle started.

"I'm not so sure her marrying him was a good idea anymore," Gaius exhaled to Sully, whom nodded in agreement with him before charging off into battle.

_**Just so you know, my 12-year-old little brother came up with this pun. Haha!**_


	11. Purge by Fire

_*I received a review from a guest which sadly I cannot reply to by message, so I will here. I've never liked the name Robin, and while I realize they gave the name because it can be used by both sexes, I just cannot use it. However, I do see what you are saying when you say that it could mislead people and keep them away from reading this. I'll take this into consideration for my future writings pertaining to Fire Emblem Awakening. Thank you so much for your kind advice! ^_^_

Also, remember the academy Henry was sent to as a child? Guess where we're going? This one is a little more feelsy.* 

"It's so hoooooot," Lissa whined as they trudged through the Plegian desert, their feet sinking deep into the sand with each step. While they had been in deserts before, the deserts in Plegia were immensely hotter than in Ylisse, and there seemed to be no break for them. No oases, villages were few and far between, and the sun beat down on them. The riders of the group walked as well in effort to save their loyal animals strength and to not overexert them. The one whom did not seem to mind too much, however, was Henry, who was used to the extreme heat. Tharja admitted that she mostly stayed indoors and rarely traveled in Plegia, so the high temperatures were making her even more ill-tempered, much to Virion's despair.

"It's not so bad!" Henry smiled.

"You're used to it," Lissa moaned. "Ooooh, I don't know what's worse: a forest full of bugs or this!"

"What's so bad about both?"

"You're so _weird_," Lissa nearly hissed. Stahl laughed as he put his arm around his wife's shoulder and gave her a soft squeeze. It was obvious the hotness was getting to her, and he wanted to calm her down before she snapped.

"There, there, Lissa. We'll get out of this desert soon enough," he encouraged. He looked forward and squinted his eyes. "In fact, I think I see something. Elena?"

Elena stared ahead as well, hoping that what Stahl was seeing was not a mirage. She saw what seemed to be an old, dilapidated fortress. The rest of the Shepherds saw it as well, and when Henry noticed it, his smile became crooked, as if it were nearly forced. Elena noticed this, but he said nothing about it until they reached the buildings. It now became apparent that it was the remains of an academy that had been overtaken by nature. Quietly, Henry walked up to a wall and placed his hand on it.

"So, I know where we are," he chimed.

"You do?" Elena questioned.

"Yes, ma'am! We're at the school I was sent off to when I was little."

The Shepherds froze. By now, everyone knew of Henry's childhood. At the school, he had been mistreated horribly by both students and teachers. He was used as experimentation since his pain threshold was high, and because of those experiments, he barely felt any pain whatsoever. Elena, Ricken, and Morgan were all concerned for Henry as he gazed over the buildings, and no one said a word; what does someone say in a situation such as this? With a quick turn, he walked in front of one of the side buildings and put his hands on his hips.

"Yup! This is where I lived. This was the boys' dormitory," he revealed. He turned back around and pointed to the building across from it. "That's where the girls stayed."

"H-Henry," Elena nearly whispered, "we don't have to stay. We can go."

"Huh? Why?" Henry wondered aloud. "Everyone's beat, and I'm pretty sure if we were attacked, we'd all be worm food."

"But…"

"I can even show you guys around, if you'd like!" Henry grinned. "That is, once you're all rested."

The Shepherds agreed to take a breather. Their trek in the desert sand had certainly exhausted their strength, so Frederick and Cherche started a fire and cooking so that everyone's fortitude would replenish. Just as everyone was to eat, a sandstorm appeared, rushing everyone inside. Luckily, they managed to save the food, and no one was harmed. It became apparent that they would have to stay the night due to the sandstorm (much to Lissa's disliking), and since their journey had been so taxing, almost everyone fell asleep rather early.

Henry was sitting on a partially-broken stone bench, tome in hands. During his downtime, he would often study on tomes with Ricken; in order to fight fluently, spells needed to be learned instead of having to fully rely on books. Reading in the middle of battle was a rather difficult action to carry out. His train of thought was broken when he felt someone poke him. To his side, he saw Elena, Morgan, and Ricken, all with curious looks on their faces.

"Whaddya need?" he asked.

"Can you show us around?" Ricken inquired. "I know we won't be able to go to your dorm, but we would still like to learn more about this place."

"Y'okay," Henry nodded as he closed his tome and rose to his feet. "What do you want to know?"

"Anything you care to share, Father," Morgan answered. He winked at Henry when he said, "I'm sure it'll be one hex of an adventure!"

Henry smiled as he rustled Morgan's hair. "All righty! Follow me."

They followed him along a long hallway and into a room that still had some wooden desks left in it. Most of them were overturned or broken. The wall was cracked in various sections, and an old chalkboard was half on the wall, half on the floor. Sand covered most of the room. Henry walked to the right lower corner of the room and stood still. He talked to himself for a brief moment and pointed with his finger, as if counting how many desks there had been in the row he used to sit in. With a nod, he motioned them to come closer, which they obliged.

"This was where my desk was in this room," he said, his finger up to give it emphasis. "Looks like the desert made it go bye-bye."

"You remember exactly where you sat from fifteen years ago?" Ricken awed.

"Awesome, right? I have a pretty good memory!"

"What class was this?" Elena asked.

"Defensive magic," Henry effortlessly recalled. "I hated this class, really. I just liked learning how to kill. Moving on!"

Silently, they followed Henry, whom seemed to be lost in memories. Ever an enigma, they were uncertain of his feelings. He had been tortured here, and shortly after leaving this place had been abandoned by this parents. Yet, he kept his trademark grin on his face, his true feelings locked behind that smile. Jokes came naturally to him, and he would make his usual puns, regardless of whatever he felt, if he felt anything at all. Various rooms that he took them to, he said very little other than revealing what the room was used for or revealing where he sat, and while he talked, they listened to him intently. Some areas were so dark, Henry and Ricken had to cast a small ball of fire in their hands to use as a source of light. For being in the middle of a vast desert, this place felt so cold and lifeless. They knew only what Henry had told them about the academy and what he had endured, and for him to have returned here seemed so wrong.

Unexpectedly, Henry made a stop in front of them, making them walk into him. When they looked ahead to see what it was that made him stop, they saw two large wooden doors, the two small windows near the top shattered out of them. What surprised them most of all was Henry's face; while it did have its typical smile, it was crooked and felt completely unnatural for him, like it was forced. Without a word spoken, he made his way to the doors and tried to open them, but they would not budge. He jerked on them several times, then slammed his body into them, which burst them open. Ever so slowly, he stepped into the massive room, his wife, son, and best friend wordlessly trailing behind. Most of the room was unpredictably undamaged by nature. The floors and walls were cracked in diverse areas, but it was a wide open room. In the middle was a pillar that stood around three feet with a slot on each side of it on the ground. Gently, Henry placed a hand on the pillar and knelt down before it; his eyes practically gave away that this room held bitter recollections.

"Henry?" Elena called to him.

He looked up at her and smiled warmly. "Guess what this was used for?" he asked. When they shook their heads, he gave them the answer. "If someone got in trouble, they would keep them here. This pillar? It was for support. And these slots? They would put chains through them and keep your hands low to the ground so you couldn't cast magic as retaliation." He got on his knees and lowered his hands to the slots, as if invisible chains wrapped on them. "See? Look. These are still here." He ran his fingers over what looked to be where someone had dug nails into the floor due to pain. "These are mine."

"This was a source of punishment?" Elena breathed.

"Yes, ma'am. Depending on what you did, you could be in here for a few hours or a few days. Alone," he replied as he rose to his feet. "I spent a lot of time in here."

"You did? Why?" Morgan inquired.

"I don't know."

"You don't know? You mean, you don't remember?"

"No, I remember. I just don't know why, nya ha!" Henry chuckled. "For me, this was where they would test my pain threshold."

Elena, Ricken, and Morgan jerked. Time felt as though it came to a crawl once those words left Henry's mouth. This room wasn't a castigation room for Henry; it was where he was persecuted. They were too afraid to ask what it was that the teachers and children did to him; it was too painful for them to hear, and they didn't want Henry to relive that nightmare. However, without them asking, Henry began to disclose it.

"The teachers claimed it to be research. That by using me, they could understand magic better and hope to prepare themselves and others against attacks. The students could hone their spells; it's much, much better to cast it on someone- you get tons of experience doing that instead of casting it on a lifeless practice dummy." He put his hands on his hips. "Now that I think about it, I learned how to perform curses and hexes at this very spot. After using me for practice, I would hex them up to their eyeballs, heck, sometimes _even_ their eyeballs, and they had no idea who was hexing them. They never suspected me since my hands were chained. The screams- good times!"

Now, they understood. This room was the start to where Henry lost touch with his humanity. Who could blame him? Teachers probably made excuses to bring him to this room, making him a "troublemaker" when he more than likely did nothing wrong. From the cracks in the walls, wind blew through and rustled their clothes and hair, and for a while, only the sound of that wind was heard. Henry's hands fell from his hips, and to them, he looked somewhat overwhelmed.

"It's strange," he whispered. "I stopped feeling pain years ago, but… Why does this hurt so much?" He looked around the room. "I wonder if someone has put a hex on me? Tharja, you sneaky snake! You finally got through."

"Tharja's asleep, Henry," Elena dejected his blame.

"Oh? Hmm, this is weird."

"Just because you're feeling pain doesn't mean you're hexed or cursed," Elena stated. "Henry, what happened to you here was… I don't have a word for it. It's okay to be sad or hurt by it."

"Are you getting all feely on me? I'm not good at that stuff," Henry shrugged.

"We know," Elena nodded. "Just tell us. What are you feeling?"

"What am I feeling? Heck, I don't know. There's this strange pain in my chest. Like, it hurts, but it also feels hollow." He looked down at the pillar. "I also feel angry. I'm telling you, it's a hex! I never get angry. But when I look at this room, I just wanna burn it to the ground. Ooo, can I do that? That'll be so much fun!"

"Only if I can burn it down with you," Ricken grinned mischievously.

"We're not burning anything down while we're stuck here," Elena giggled. "Henry… are you sure that's what you want to do? Once when Frederick hears of fires, it's all downhill from there."

"Yes. No. Wait, what?" Henry grew even more confused. "That's odd. Part of me wants to, but part of me wants this place to stay. I mean, this was my home for a long time. The only one I really had."

"Well, just give it some thought. When this sandstorm dies, we'll be leaving. You can let us know what to do then," Elena smiled. "Want some time alone?"

"Nope. I'm good," Henry said. "Sleepy time!"

Before sleep, Elena laid her head on Henry's chest. They both were still awake, and he was studying a tome for a short bit. The steadiness of the rise and fall of his chest and the beating of his heart, along with his warmth, was what lulled her to sleep every night. She took his free hand into one of hers and flexed his fingers out, her fingers between them. Next to his hand, her hand was small; his fingers were so long and skinny. Both their hands were scarred and calloused from war. It broke her heart that he had been through so much, and she was certain that his return to this place had not been easy on him. Never had he been able to really express or explain his feelings, but she understood without him even having to tell her. Happiness filled her chest that she was able to be by his side through this. She heard him yawn, and he shut the tome and put it down. He placed a kiss on her forehead, and the two fell asleep soundly.

The sandstorm was gone by morning, so the Shepherds prepared to move out. It did not take long for the intense heat to return. Congregated outside, they noticed Henry stood in front of the academy, one hand on his hip with the other hung loosely at his side. Quietly, he stared at the place that had once been a prison for him; he noticed not that the Shepherds watched him. Elena, Ricken, and Morgan knew what was on his mind. They would not blame him whether or not he leveled the place. What stunned them is that they would be happier if he did level it. After some time, he turned and walked to Elena, again with a smile.

"Let's do it," he spoke. "Let's burn this place down."

"Yeah!" Ricken cheered as he threw a fist up into the air. "I got the Fire tomes ready!"

"Did someone say fire?" Frederick asked. "If a fire needs to be set, I can safely do so."

"It seems that what Kellam called you in true," Panne spoke. "What was it you said, Kellam? Plymanic? Firemanic?"

"Er, nothing. Nothing at all!" Kellam nervously denied. He shrunk behind Cordelia's Pegasus, fearing Frederick's wrath at his Fanatical Fitness Hour if he found out.

"Oh, I remember. He called you a pyromaniac," Panne told her husband.

Frederick grinned timidly. "My dear, I most certainly am not a pyromaniac. I just like a good campfire."

"This isn't going to be a campfire, Freddybear!" Henry chimed. "By the time we're done, only thing that's gonna be left here is ashes!"

"Count me in!" Nowi laughed. "Dragons can breathe some pretty hot fire, ya know? What about it, Nah? You can let yourself go!"

"Oh, Mother, can I? I need to go on a good rampage!"

"This is a good place as any. Not some innocent countryside," Elena nodded, recalling in horror when she had to stop Nah from destroying a hill with her fire.

As they transformed into Manaketes, the Shepherds who were not Mages made some scattered fires in the main building and the dormitories. Chrom did not argue or complain, but joined in. Elena was elated that everyone was behind Henry on his desire to demolish the academy, and she knew that if Henry could feel, he would have been, too. The Mages found their Fire tomes and were prepared for when everyone else was safely behind them. Once they were, the Mages set the rest of the place in a red hot blaze. With the blast from Nowi's and Nah's firebreath, the stone walls and pillars came crashing down. Intense heat from the fire and sun had them all sweating profusely, but they did not mind at all. Even Lissa did not complain.

Elena stood beside Henry, whom once again simply stared as the academy burned. No one spoke a word as they heard the fire crack and pop. It was an odd feeling; they all felt relieved and pleased to have done this. Henry wrapped his hand around Elena's and laced his fingers in between hers.

"Thank you," he whispered to her. She didn't look at him or say anything in return to know that for the first time since being here, a true smile was on his face. Times such as these, actions were so much louder than words.


	12. I'll Put a Spell on You

_*This is on the shorter side, guys. More for the lolz than anything. Enjoy!*_

"So, Tharja totally hates me now, nya ha!" Henry laughed as he plopped down on the bench beside Elena, setting his plate of food down on the table. They were in the mess hall, and Elena had just taken a bite of food when Henry had come up to her.

"Are you tho thill at it?" she asked, the food in her mouth impeding her speech.

"Hey, she started this whole thing once she hexed Morgan. And if you must know, I'm playing nice. I haven't hexed her once," Henry proudly stated.

Elena chewed her food and swallowed it. She had to give him credit when it was due; he could have hexed Tharja multiple times by now, but because of Elena, he had not. Instead, he would merely dissipate or reject her hexes and curses as if he were swatting a pestering fly. It fascinated her how powerful of a mage he truly was, and she sometimes felt as though she had yet to witness the full extent of his capabilities.

"Oh, hey. There they are." Ricken and Nowi came up at sat across the table from them, an odd smile on both their faces. They leaned in and motioned for them to lean closer to them as well, which they did. "I don't know if you know this or not, but Tharja is planning a really big hex for you, Henry."

"Yeah, I know," Henry grinned.

"Do you not sense the daggers she's staring at you?" Nowi questioned. "If they were real, you'd be a human pincushion right now!"

"That. Sounds. AWESOME!" Henry awed. "I wonder if that's what she's planning to do to me? Imagine all the blood."

Elena sighed. "Enough. I'm going to have a talk with Tharja right now."

"What, are you crazy?" Ricken panicked. "She'll hex you to smithereens, Elena."

"She may try, but she won't get far," Henry said. "I just love a good murder-" just as Elena opened her mouth to protest- "of crows."

That did not help his case, either. Elena jumped up and put her hands on her hips. "That does it. You two have got to stop this childish bickering."

She stormed off to find Tharja, leaving Henry with Ricken and Nowi, a confused look on his face. "What did I do?"

Three hours passed by, and Elena had yet to return. For once, Henry actually started to worry; Tharja was almost as crazy as he was. What if she did hex her? No, he would have surely sensed it… right? Besides, she had some weird obsession with his wife, anyway. They day they married, Tharja made Henry promise to keep Elena safe from harm, or she would kill him herself. Surely she wouldn't do that to her. As he searched around the camp, he finally found her hunched over something, her back to him. He walked to her and pecker her on the shoulder.

"Elena? Whatch'ya doin'?"

"Fool. Don't sneak up on me like that," he heard her speak, her voice dark.

"Eh?"

"Oh, if you must know," she sighed. She rose to her feet, and in her hands was a voodoo doll with needles sticking in it. "It was meant for you, but of course, it doesn't work."

"Ohhh, I see," Henry grinned in annoyance. "She pulled the ol' body switcheroo on you. Good thing you didn't actually hex her, Tharja. There may have been blood."

Her hair no longer in a braid but cascading down her back, even her eyes seemed darker. Her entire aura was different, and she was more reserved and guarded like Tharja. Henry exhaled as he closed the distance between the two and held his hand in front of Elena. Under his breath, he muttered some words then moved his hand across her. A puzzled look struck his face. Elena could not help but to smirk.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Muh? But, that was supposed to put you two back to normal," he murmured. "Lemme try that again." He performed the same action as before, and again appeared to be stumped. "Maybe I need Elena here, too. Er, I mean you. I mean. Yeah." He took hold of her wrist. "Let's go."

As he pulled her through the camp, it drew the Shepherds' attentions, and soon, they followed behind them. At first, everyone was completely confused until they saw Henry walk up to Tharja, whom had her hair in a braid, a smile on her face. Virion gave the impression that he was just as lost as the rest of the Shepherds were. Henry and Elena stopped in front of Tharja, and by now, everyone had gathered around to see just what exactly was going on. Virion exhaled, an exasperated look on his face.

"My word, now it makes sense," he spoke. He looked at Elena and took her by her hands. "My love, this is not comical. Please return to your body, and let Elena back in hers."

Tharja giggled, and everyone nearly fell to the ground. Never had they heard her giggle before, and it was scarier than her usual self. "What's wrong, Virion? I think this is pretty funny!"

"Okay, I never want to hear her giggle again," Cynthia shuddered. "That was super creepy!"

Virion was at a loss for words as he let go of Elena's hands and backed away from her. Henry stood between Tharja and Elena and did what he had done before… and let out a long, heavy sigh.

"What the heck? Why isn't this working?" he wondered aloud. "I've switched bodies myself before with Sumia, and switching back was easy-peasy. I've even switched other bodies back. What's the deal?"

Chrom raised an eyebrow at his wife, curious as to what Henry had just revealed. "When did the two of you switch bodies?"

"Oh, a long time ago. He wanted to fly on my Pegasus, and I wanted to use magic," Sumia answered. "Let me tell you, that was a bizarre experience."

"Isn't switching bodies fun?" Tharja beamed. "How come we've never done this, Henry?"

Henry shook his head. "This is weird, even for me." He turned to Elena. "Since I can't do it, reverse the switch, Tharja."

"Why would I do that?" Elena asked. "I'm in Elena's body. This is something I've always dreamed of."

"Statements taken out of context number four-hundred and sixy-eight," Inigo counted aloud.

Henry himself shuddered at Elena's statement. "I would really like my wife back now."

"As do I," Virion agreed.

"Hmm, I think I'll just keep it like this," Elena smirked darkly. "Elena doesn't seem to mind, don't you?"

"Well, to be honest, I would like to put some more clothes on, but nope! No complaints from me!" Tharja smiled. "Gotta admit, it's going to be weird having a completely different husband, but I think I can get used to it." Tharja wrapped her arms around Virion, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him. "What about you, dear? Think you could get used to this?"

"Over my dead body!" Henry's grin was utterly terrifying, and it was clear his temper had reached a boiling point once that kiss had been planted.

Virion had his hands up in the air, a horrified look on his face. "I'm not touching her, Henry! I swear!"

"Gods, this is the creepiest thing I have ever seen," Kjelle whispered to Owain. "And that's saying something, considering I married you."

"Yeah, I- hey!" Owain pouted.

"Did… did Elena just kiss Virion? Why isn't Tharja upset over that?" Nowi asked Ricken.

"I am NOT having Tharja as my mother! I already have enough crazy in this family." Morgan fussed. He then looked at Noire. "No offense, Noire."

"None taken."

"No offense to her? What about dear old dad?" Henry whined. "Tharja, reverse the switch right now."

"What? You mean, you couldn't get used to this?" Elena asked as she kissed Henry. Henry jerked back and held his hands out in front of him.

"This is absurd!" Virion nearly yelled, his temper almost boiling over this time.

"Nope! I could not get used to that," Henry said. "Tharja, reverse the switch right now!"

Elena exhaled with irritation. "Fine," she groaned as she reached and grabbed onto Tharja's hand. They closed their eyes… and snorted. And snorted again. Then burst out laughing. Everyone in the Shepherds was beyond confused, and Henry and Virion stared at their wives in bewilderment as the two of them laughed uncontrollably, leaning onto each other for support.

"What… why are you laughing?" Virion questioned them.

"We got you all good!" Elena giggled. "We never switched bodies!"

"Wh-what?" Henry stammered.

"Some idea, wouldn't you agree?" Tharja said. "It was all masterfully crafted by Elena."

Behind them, they heard the rest of the Shepherds start to laugh, and in moments, Virion and Henry found themselves laughing with them, as well as relieved. No wonder Henry couldn't switch them back to normal; he should have seen it from the start. It was good to see everyone laughing. Lately, mirth had been so difficult to find with everything that had been discovered and all the fighting they had done. It was certainly odd that Tharja was so willing to work with Elena to spread happiness around the camp. She was always so introverted and backwards. However, it was a known fact that she was infatuated with the tactician, and would do practically anything she said.

Henry walked up to Tharja and pat her on the back. "I get it. Since you couldn't hex or curse me, you thought this would do."

"Don't mock me," Tharja nearly growled. "I've not given up on hexing you yet."

"Tharja, what did we just agree to before doing this?" Elena groaned. "Or, have you forgotten?"

Tharja sighed. "Very well. No more attempts."

Beaming with pride, Elena looked at Henry with love in her eyes. She was amazed that with what little time she and Tharja had to set this little prank up that it did so well. The two were polar opposites, and they had spent several hours getting each others' behaviors and traits perfect, and she was elated that it had paid off. Ever since their trip to Henry's childhood academy, she felt as though she needed to cheer him up somehow. Sure, they torched down the place for him, but she wanted to do more than that. To see him laugh like this once more was all she had wanted the past few days. She walked up to him and put her arms around his slender waist, to which he put his arm around her shoulders.

"Thank the gods," Morgan huffed. "I don't know what I would have done if Tharja had been my mother."

"Watch yourself, boy," Tharja warned. "Don't think that this means I can't hex you."

"Yes, it does," Henry argued. "Right, Elena?"

"Right," Elena giggled.

"Augh! Fine! Who else am I not allowed to hex?" she hissed.

"Worry not, my dear," Virion smiled as he embraced her. "You hex me every day with your magnificence."

A wicked smile spread across her face. "That will work. For now."

If one thing was ever certain the everyone, it was that Henry and Elena loved each other unconditionally. Despite it being an odd match, as they stood there, watching the two together, they knew without a doubt that they kept each other alive, and that they would do anything for each other. The way she made him a better person and gave him a truthful smile on his face, and the way he gave his all to protect her and make her happy spoke volumes to them in ways words could not. Whatever was ahead, they would face it head-on together, just as they had always done, even from the beginning.


	13. Wish

_*We're getting toward the end of the game, everyone. And you all know what that means. More feels. I'll try to make it as lighthearted as I possibly can, but keep in mind how dark it was near the end. These next couple of chapters will be on the sad side, but please stick with it. They'll get happier when she returns. Also, just because it's getting close to the game's ending doesn't mean I'll stop writing on this. I enjoy it way too much, and I hope you are, too! ^_^*_

She sat one her bed, her hands clenching the sheets as he body shook. Her chest was ever so hollow, and a lump was in her throat. After all they had done to prevent the cataclysmic future from occurring, in one wrong move, she had wasted it all. Fortunately enough, she was able to pull herself back to her senses and withdraw some of her attack, preventing Chrom's demise; yet, even with Validar's death, Grima had been unleashed, and the Fell Dragon. Everything had happened so fast, and when Naga had informed them that Elena could relinquish Grima at the cost of her life, she knew what needed to be done. Henry said not a word when Naga had told them thus, but Chrom vehemently denied the action; he would put the dragon to sleep before letting Elena lose her life.

So many people depended on her. So many did she love and cherish. Which is why…

A lone sigh escaped her lips, and she hugged herself. She had asked Henry to give her some time to think to herself, and while he was uncertain to do so, he did as she requested. Now, she wanted him with her, to comfort her. Both were always so sanguine, but at this moment, she could feel her walls begin to crack. The entire camp was silent; no one knew what to do and were wrapped up in their thoughts. She needed to hear some sort of noise. The deafness was so loud, so overwhelming that she thought her eardrums would burst.

Deep down inside, she had known all along what she should do. Her life in exchange for theirs and the entire world… it seemed so infinitesimal. Surely, Henry would understand. Surely, Morgan would be proud of his mother's sacrifice. What would become of them? What would they do? Could she leave them behind? She and Henry had been married nearly two years now, and it felt as though it went by so quickly. A sad smile spread across her face as she recalled the times they had spent together, and she knew then that her decision was justified. She rose to her feet, determined and ready to face him, to tell him of her plan. She walked outside their tent and began to look throughout the camp for him, curious to find that he was not there. Instead, she found Ricken sitting on a tree stump, his mage hat in his hands as he looked out at the horizon, obviously with thoughts on his mind about the events that had just occurred. Without a doubt, he would know where Henry had gone off to, so she walked toward him.

"Ricken," she warmly called out to him. He turned his head to look at her, then rose to his feet and turned his entire body to face her. He placed his hat down on the stump, and when she stood before him, she realized that he now stood eye-to-eye with her. Gods, had he really grown so? "What are you doing out here alone? Where's Nowi?"

"She's in the bath. We usually bathe together, but I think she wanted to be alone," Ricken said. "I don't think I could comfort her right now anyway, considering how I'm feeling, too."

"Oh," Elena simply said. Everyone was so depressed, and it was because of her. "Have you seen Henry? I need to talk to him."

"Yeah. He said to tell you to meet him where it all began, whatever that means," Ricken answered. Elena knew exactly what it meant. She made a quick thank-you and turned to walk away. She took one step forward but stopped when she felt Ricken gently grab onto her wrist. Unwilling to see his sadness or guilt, she kept her back turned toward him. "Elena, wait…"

"I have to do this, Ricken," she said.

"No, you don't," Ricken argued. "Chrom even said he would do it."

"I know what he said."

"Then let him!" Ricken protested, audibly distraught. "That way, no one has to die other than Grima."

"What about people in the future?" Elena questioned him. He jerked, taken aback. "They would have to face Grima, and many would die. Is that something you are willing to have linger over you for the rest of your days?"

"That's not fair…" Ricken whispered, his head bowed in melancholy and indignity. "But… what would you have us do? We can't…" he raised his head, tears in his eyes. "We can't let you die, Elena!"

"You're not letting me die, Ricken," Elena genuinely spoke. "I'm doing this on my own accord. So, please, don't blame yourself. I promise, everything will be okay."

"How can you act so calm?" Ricken spoke softly.

"Because I know that when I do this, the future will be safe," Elena replied. "Everyone will be happy, and no one else has to get hurt due to my mistakes."

"What about Henry?! What about his pain?!" Ricken cried out, the tears now falling down his cheeks and his grip on Elena's wrist tightening a little. "Don't you know that he'll miss you the most?!"

"I'm doing this because of him," Elena said. "I know you don't understand, but one day, you will."

She heard Ricken sniffle. "No… I understand. I would do the same for Nowi if I were in your shoes," he stated. He let go of her wrist. "I'm sorry."

He did not expect her to turn and embrace him, and it shocked him. "Ricken… you've grown into an amazing young man. Truly," she whispered.

Despite his tears, a smile spread on his face as he hugged her. "In no small part because of you and Henry," he said. "So, thanks."

They released each other, and Ricken watched Elena as she went off to find Henry. He wiped his tears away, knowing his role was to support his wife whenever she was ready for him to.

It was sunset before she reached the place she knew Henry would be. Just as she expected, she found him standing at the very spot they had met, his back facing her. For a time, she simply stood back, not wanting to face him; she had been so determined, but now that she was there, fear wracked her whole body. She knew that he would always love her, but what she was about to ask him… maybe it was too much for a person to bear. Finally, she took a deep breath and walked to him; he must have heard her footsteps, because he turned around, his usual smile on his face. She stopped in front of him, her heart aching so. As she stood before him, it hit her that he, too, had changed. Twenty-two years of age when they met, he was already a grown man; yet, age had developed on his face, perhaps due to war and in part of her. She wondered if she had changed as well.

Only the breeze could be heard as they stood there, the setting sun giving the landscape a surreal orange glow. Time seemed to come to a standstill; this would be one of the last times they could spend together. It was now or never.

"Henry," she spoke quietly, "I have something to say."

"I know," he said. "Are you sure about this?"

"More than anything," she nodded slowly. "It's for the best."

Henry looked down at the ground. "How remarkably cruel, that your life means so little to you when it means so much to me," he whispered. Elena felt her body jerk; he had never really said something like that to her. He then shook his head. "No."

"No?"

"No," he said again. "I'm the guy that does the sacrifices. I'm the guy that loves death and darkness. But this is too much." He clenched his fists tightly. "I can't let you sacrifice yourself. Not for me. Not for anyone."

"…Henry…"

"I care about you too greatly. I'll kill everyone that stands in my way if I have to," he claimed with an unhinged smile. "I've got a knack for killing, and I'll even start with Grima."

"Henry," Elena firmly called. He stopped and looked at her. "You know that won't solve anything. I need you to understand that this will save everyone. Think about Morgan." This time, it was Henry's body that felt like it had been jerked. Other than Elena, Morgan was the only thing he loved just as much. "I'm not doing this for selfish reasons."

"…I know you're not," he said.

"I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do," she continued. "But… I do have one selfish request."

"What's that?"

"I need you to help me get to Grima."

"What?" It felt as though all the air had been knocked out of his lungs. "You can't ask that. You can't _mean_ that."

"Oh, Henry… please?" she begged. "Let me do for everyone what you have always done for me."

"What have I always done for you?" he asked, confused.

She smiled affectionately at her husband. "You've time and time again given me hope when I had none. You made me laugh and smile when it was as though I never could again. Most importantly, you gave me a chance. Let me do the same for them."

Silence came between them, albeit briefly. Elena's heart seemed as though it was about to stop; what if he rejected this? She needed him with her as she took Grima down; the last thing she wanted to see was the man she had come to love so dearly. He reached in one of his pockets and pulled out a small, golden ball and held it to her.

"What's this?" she asked, curious.

"Well, if we're both going to face Grima, we need to leave a message behind for Morgan," Henry began to answer. "I had this ready for you. I knew your decision, so I thought it would be nice if he had something to remember his mother by. Since we're doing this together, if something happens to me…"

"Henry…" she gasped, amazed. "This is great. How does it work?"

He held it up to his lips and muttered something. A tiny hole opened up, and a small ray of light shot out of it. "It will take everything we say and preserve it." He moved beside her and held it in front of them. "You can go first."

Elena nodded and moved her head closer to the object. "Morgan? This is your mother. If you're hearing this, I'm already gone." She bit her lip; could she do this? "There are so many things I want to say to you…" She steadied herself and smiled sadly. "I want you to know that… I'm so happy to have met you. You are so loved and so brave, and I know that you will go far in life. Take good care of Noire and the future children you'll have together." She twisted her fingers around each other. Gods, this was difficult. "Life is so beautiful, and I hope that you can see that after this is all over. Love unconditionally and be a friend to everyone, but don't let yourself be taken advantage of. And, it's okay to cry and be sad. It just means you care. When you fight, be sure you always have a reason for it. And never forget the lessons you've learned." Tears spilt over on her cheeks; when had they filled her eyes? Henry saw this and wrapped his hand around her hand, lacing his fingers between hers. "I know it's hard to understand the decision I made, but just know that I did it for you, your father, and everyone else. I love you so much, Morgan… so, so much." She sniffed and looked up at Henry. "I'm sorry. I think I said too much."

"Not at all," Henry smiled as he shook his head. He looked at the object, his eyes warm. "Guess it's my turn, nya ha. Morgan…" He sighed. "I'm not very good at this stuff, but I'll do my best." He rubbed Elena's knuckles with his thumb. "If you hear me, that means I'm maggot food, too. Pretty much everything your mother said, listen to." He thought for a second. "I'm real proud of you, ya know. You're one hex of a kid, and I hope that you and Noire have a full and happy life together and have tons of babies. Name one after your dear old dad, yeah? I, uh, I'm really happy that you let me in your life and to have made new memories with you." Elena let go of Henry's hand and put her arm around his waist; his voice grew shaky, and it stunned her. She had never seen him cry, and he was fighting back the tears. For a moment, he stopped, as if he was thinking about what to say next. The words that came out of his mouth made more tears fall from Elena's eyes. "I love you, kiddo. Remember the fireflies… okay?" With that, he gave the golden orb a gentle tap, and the light retreated back into it, and the hole closed. He wrapped his arms around his wife and held her closely to his chest. "How was that?"

"That was perfect, Henry," she whispered.

Silence once again filled the area, and only the wind could be heard. The sun was low in the horizon, and they watched it as it set.

"Elena?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"Yeah," she smiled as she held onto his tighter, "I love you, too, Henry. Very much."

She felt his body begin to quake, and his held her even tighter. Her eyes closed as she took in his scent and warmth. His seriousness was a surprise for her; he knew that this was not the time or place to be his unusual self. Nor did he want to. He was going to lose her, and there was so much doubt now. Naga had said that she could come back if the bonds were strong enough, but even then, the chance of that happening was miniscule. The tears he shed for her were out pure love and heartache, and that, for her, made all the difference. Nothing more was said between the two as they stood still, in the place where it all began years ago.


	14. After the Battle

_*Final chapter of the game! You all know what that means! More depressing stuff! . Next chapters will be lighter, I swear. And who knows? Maybe a girl will take interest in Henry? Ohhh, whatever will he do?_

Plus, I'm not too well at fighting scenes dealing with magic. I'm working on that with a book of mine I'm currently writing since it has magic users in it, but it's difficult. Bear with me!* 

The sky was dark and ominous as the Shepherds fought on top the Fell Dragon's back. Dangerous, gale-force winds and chronic lightning strikes added to the intensity and difficulty as well. Enemies came from all around, and just as it seemed they had managed to cut their way through them, more would teleport out of nowhere and crowd their way again. Already, Grima had nearly done away with Elena, but thanks to her friends and family, she pulled herself out of her doppelganger's grasp. Through the enemies, she and Henry fought; at times, he would grab her hand and pull her through with him, somehow managing to get farther and farther ahead little by little. Just before they were to reach Grima, a horde of enemies came their way, blocking them off. They began to fight, and behind them, fiery breath and Katarina's Bolt flew at enemies, slaughtering them. Ricken and Nowi had made their way to aid them so that they could get closer to Grima.

"Go!" Ricken ordered. "We'll handle these guys!"

"Yeah! They're no match for an all-powerful mage and a kick-butt dragon!" Nowi said in her manakete form.

Elena and Henry nodded, and once again took off toward Grima, leaving Nowi and Ricken behind to battle the horde. Back with the main group, Morgan and Chrom had lost sight of Elena, and this scared them; they knew exactly what Elena would do if she got the chance, so they began to try to advance with their wives by their side. However, more enemies were inbound, making it practically impossible to move onward without having to battle every step of the way.

When they approached Grima, Elena's grip on the hilt of her sword tightened. The look on Grima's face as she stared her down was enough to make her blood boil, and even Henry wanted nothing more than to wipe it off her face. Behind them, they could hear the all-too-familiar sounds of battle and the cries of their comrades as they fought or were wounded. If one thing was ever certain was that Elena had to end this, and do it now, by her hand. Countless lives depended on her to do so, and she would not let them down.

"…RETURN TO ME… COME… WE ARE ONE… AND THE SAME," Grima spoke loudly.

"Not a chance!" Elena yelled as she ran forward, Henry following suit. She swung her blade at Grima, whom blocked it with her spell of giant black thorns.

"Ooo, me, me, me!" Henry cackled as he cast Goetia. Grima turned and snarled as she barely dodged the spell in time. "Aww…"

The Fell Dragon then raised its head and opened its mouth wide, revealing numerous jagged teeth. It unleashed a powerful breath of fire at the two of them, which they either dodged or rolled away from. They came back together and stared at Grima and the Fell Dragon; it was clear that while they knew this battle would not be easy, the fact that they had to evade Grima's and the Fell Dragon's attacks proved to be a precarious challenge. Again, Grima gave them the same haughty expression as she stepped closer to them. She threw out her arm, the black thorns shooting up from the ground in a straight line at them. Quickly, they moved away from the attack, only to have the Fell Dragon expel its pyre attack. Henry grabbed Elena and pulled her behind him, then threw his arms out, a magical barrier enveloping the two; however, the barrier could only block so much, and the explosion of the attack knocked them off their feet. Without wasting any time, they jumped back on their feet, Elena charging at Grima, Henry closely behind. When she reached Grima, she raised her sword, which Grima was ready to block; with stunning agility, she ducked (the shocked look on Grima's face was a sight for the both of them), only to have Henry emerge from behind her and cast his spell in immediate proximity. A cry was heard from their enemy as she reeled back and blindly threw her hand out, black thorns once again shooting out. Since they were so close, the attack would no doubt hit them, but Henry pushed Elena out of the way, the some of the thorns piercing him. One shot through his stomach and back, holding him up in the air. Elena's eyes were wide in horror, but Henry merely laughed it off as she cut him down; pain was nothing to him anymore. The Fell Dragon shot out a massive fireball at them, which Henry was not prepared for in order to cast another barrier- another barrier was cast on them, and a powerful lightning spell hit the beast's face.

"Hey, you big bully! Over here!" they heard Nowi yell. They looked over to see Nowi and Ricken; they had managed to fight their way through the horde and come closer to join in on their fight with Grima. Grima turned her attention to them and raised her hand to cast another spell.

"Take THIS!" Ricken shouted, Katarina's Bolt cast again. Grima snarled and cast her thorns, which blocked off the attack. The Fell Dragon then unleashed another attack, but Ricken and Nowi dodged it. Henry and Elena ran to the two and nodded a quick thanks, ready to fight together.

"Come now. This is unfair," Grima maliciously grinned. She snapped her fingers, and more enemies teleported behind them. Nowi groaned as she and Ricken turned to face the enemies, leaving Elena and Henry to again deal with Grima and the Fell Dragon.

Elena charged at Grima and sliced her blade at her, only to have to draw back to avoid thorns. Grima again cast the thorns, which Elena evaded deftly- out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Fell Dragon's massive fireball coming her way. Henry jumped in front of her and tried to cast a barrier, but Grima repeated her action, which he could only avoid one or the other. The fireball crashed into Henry, which knocked him into Elena, and the two tumbled briefly. When they came to a stop, with a groan, Elena rolled Henry off her to see that he was still conscious and that he struggled to get back up on his feet. A nasty burn was on his arm and leg, and the wound from Grima's thorn was bleeding at an alarming rate. He was on his hands and knees, and she watched him as he shakily tried to get back up. A small growl escaped her lips as she rose to her feet and began to walk toward Grima; the blast had wounded her as well and had made her braid fall out, her long red hair whipping in the wind.

"H-hey, wait," Henry said through gritted teeth. She felt him grip her shoulder. "We'll do this together."

They nodded and ran toward her, Henry casting as many Goetia spells as he could, shrouding the area in darkness. Grima began to blindly cast out her thorns, and the Fell Dragon started to breathe fireballs all around. Ricken and Nowi, having fought through the horde, started to pick up on what Henry and Elena were doing and started to cast spells and expel dragon's breath together, filling the area with darkness and smoke. In a panic, Grima scanned the area, unable to see past the smoke and utter darkness. Behind her, Elena emerged and stabbed her sword through Grima, whom grunted in both pain and surprise. Elena cried out as well, and when Ricken heard this, he used Wind to clear out the smoke and darkness to reveal what had occurred. The enemies stopped fighting and stood still, and the Shepherds looked to see Elena, gripping her sword that was impaled in Grima.

"Mother?!" Morgan called, horror written all over his face.

"Elena?! Wait, what-"

"…WHAT… WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Grima hissed, interrupting Chrom.

"For once, I'm glad you and I are the same," Elena said with a smile. She looked over at Henry, whom was now on a knee, holding onto his wound, his eyes on Elena. "Now I can give my life to protect those I care for."

"…YOU WOULD… NOT DARE!"

"I would and I will. The evils you would visit on this world are unthinkable… In some way, I- we share the blame. It's only right we meet our end together!"

"NO!" Grima screamed, utmost fear in her voice. Elena then jerked the sword out of Grima, whom jerked upward, and agonizing scream erupting from her. Elena cried out as well, and a light burst from the two of them, and the wind intensified, nearly knocking everyone off their feet. For Henry, the struggle for him to remain on his feet was becoming harder and harder, but when he watched as his wife resisted the best she could against her pain, the hurt inside his chest was unmistakably worse than any he had ever felt. His mind thought back to their conversation before the battle, when they had a brief moment to themselves…

_Elena stood before him, her hand clenched around something he could not see. The Shepherds were waiting on them in order for the battle to begin, so they knew they had to make the little time they had remaining matter. Her hair flowed down her back, and she reached up with her free hand and put a lock behind her ear. _

"_Henry," she began. She hesitated, then looked up into his eyes. "There is so much I want to tell you… I just… don't know where to begin."_

_With a smile, he gently grabbed her shoulders and turned her around. Confusion wracked her until she felt him start to braid her hair. Olivia had taught him how to braid, and it had become a morning ritual for him to braid his wife's hair. This would be the last time he could do it._

"_You don't have to tell me anything," he spoke. "Words during a time like this have little impact. I'd like to believe actions speak more." _

"_I don't want you to doubt anything," she whispered. _

"_What would I doubt?" he asked. "I never doubted anything with you. You know this."_

"_I do," she smiled. _

"_Hey. You remember when we danced at our wedding?" Henry randomly brought up. _

_Elena giggled. "I sure do! We were terrible at first, but we got the hang of it pretty quickly." _

"_You also remember the song Basilio sung while we danced?" He tied the end of the braid with a ribbon then placed his hands on her shoulders. _

"…_I do, but faintly," she nodded, feeling his calloused but gentle hands on her skin. "I should ask him to sing it again before we head out."_

_Surprise took her when she heard Henry start to faintly sing:_

"_The heart of a man is made to be strong_

_Never to break, hard as a stone_

_Yet, the gentle touch of a woman can change_

_The coldest of man to one with a passion wild like flames_

_If such a person is ever met, the only question to be_

_Is to ask her-" at this, she turned and faced him, joining him, "-would you_

_marry me?" _

_They laughed together for a moment. It had been so long since they had laughed together, and it was like a refreshing breath of air. "It's such a corny song, but I can't help but to love it," she giggled._

"_Made my crows sick just by listening to it, nya ha!" Henry chuckled. "He only sung it at our wedding. He must think I'm some cold guy or something. Can't say he's wrong, though. I'm pretty CAWllous." _

"_That's not true at all," Elena denied, shaking her head. "You are one of the best people I have ever met, Henry. You help anyone and everyone. Sure, you're a little dark and a whole lot of crazy, but I wouldn't change a thing about you." She looked down, sadness in her eyes. "And… I'm really going to miss you."_

"…_Yeah," Henry whispered. "I'm going to miss you, too..."_

Their enemies collapsed, dead now that Grima was as well. The Fell Dragon, with a shrill shriek, fell from the sky and crashed onto the ground; it was a miracle that the Shepherds were not killed when this happened. As they climbed off the beast, it was apparent that all were wounded, some worse than others. Elena stood before all the Shepherds, whom gazed upon her with sadness as she began to fade away.

"Elena, no… oh, Gods, no…" Chrom whispered.

"Mother, no… I just got you back! You can't leave me again!" Morgan sobbed, Noire's hand in his.

"Thanks again, for everything," she spoke to the Shepherds. "I couldn't have done any of this without you." She looked down at the ground for a moment then looked up at them. "May we meet again in a better life." Her eyes fell on her son. "I love you, Morgan."

Some of them cried out loud, some silently. Some, no tears were shed, but the grief and pain was just as potent. Noire simply held onto Morgan's hand as he wept, and Sumia comforted Chrom as he struggled to maintain his composure. Quietly, Henry walked to his wife and looked down at her with the utmost love in his eyes. She smiled warmly at him as he placed his hand on her cheek, which was fazing in and out. A lump rose in his throat; he knew this was to happen, and yet, the pain was still as harsh and brutal as if he had not known.

"…Henry…" she whispered. "…I was very happy with you the short time we had together. I only wish… that we had more time."

"Yeah," Henry said sadly. "So do I."

"This isn't goodbye," Elena said. "I'll come back to you. I promise."

Henry smiled at her. "I know you will."

"Henry?"

"Hmm?" She didn't say anything, which told him everything. He reached out and took her in his arms, to which she put her arms around him as she continued to fade away. "Don't be scared. I'm here. I always will be."

She closed her eyes and smiled. "I'm glad."

"And when you come back, we'll be together forever. Okay?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Thank you, Henry."

"…No more leaving."

"Mmhm," she smiled. "Thank you so much, Henry… for loving me."

His arms suddenly felt empty, and she was no longer there. He wanted to cry, but instead, he stared out at the horizon, the setting sun giving it an assortment of hues. Ricken walked up to Henry and put his hand on his shoulder.

"This was for the best… right?" he asked.

A sad smile spread across Henry's face. "She was happy in the end. That's all that matters."

"So, now what?"

"I don't know," Henry said.

Everyone knew Henry had no home of his own, so Chrom stepped up. "Elena has a house in Ylisse, Henry. You can stay there."

"You could also come train new mages at the barracks," Frederick chimed in. "Ylisse does not technically have a teacher for mages, so you would be a welcomed sight."

"I can do that," he agreed. "It's going to be weird, being a teacher."

"You're good at it," Ricken smiled. "You were my teacher, and look at how awesome I am now."

"Right," Henry said. "But, remember what Naga said? She could come back, right?"

"Exactly," Chrom affirmed. "Which is why I'm going to look for her."

"Count me in, too, Chrom!" Lissa beamed. "We'll look all over this stupid world if we have to!"

"Don't forget about us," Stahl spoke up, he and Sumia walking up to their spouses. "We're going with you."

"Then… I'll look, too," Henry said. "I'll even put my crows on the search."

"What about the school?" Frederick questioned.

"I'll do that, too. In my downtime, I'll search. I'm sure you guys get all sorts of missions, so I'll go with you on those," Henry replied. He smiled. "I'm never going to give up on her. If I have to search for her my whole life, I'll do so."

"I see," Chrom smiled back at Henry. When Henry looked at the place Elena had been, he saw her wedding band on the ground. He bent down, picked it up, and held it in the palm of his hand. He turned around to see Morgan in front of him, tears rolling down his face. Tenderly, he embraced his son, whom cried bitter tears on his chest. It was at that moment he made a promise to himself that he would find Elena again, if not for anyone else but Morgan. No hex, no enemy- nothing- would stop him.

Time passed, just as it always does, and it took some time for various Shepherds to heal. After the war, they all spread out, doing diverse things with their spouses by their sides. For Henry, it took him quite a while to heal, and Morgan and Noire stayed with him at Elena's house until he was restored to health. To be in his wife's house without her there was an oddity, and he dared not change anything, not even move furniture. True to his word, he went to the barracks and helped Frederick with the magic-users who otherwise would have no teacher at all. On his own, he chose to start a school at the barracks for magic-users of all ages. His oddness and love for darkness, curses, and hexes certainly was terrifying at first, but soon, everyone came to love and respect him, even if his crow jokes and awful puns made their eyes roll (some, however, enjoyed them). On missions, he would search for his wife as well as train and protect the mages. During the day, he was so busy helping Frederick and teaching, he had no time to himself. But, at night, when he was alone at the house, he would think about Elena all the time. Chrom and Sumia, and Lissa and Stahl had made it their mission to search for her, and Henry hoped that she would be found soon. He remained optimistic that Naga's words were true.

Ricken and Nowi were also on his mind. Ricken had decided to study abroad in order to become Chrom's Royal Advisor, and Nowi went with him, naturally. Often, he would receive letters from the two, and he would write back; his crows made the retrievals and deliveries. As a matter of fact, Ylisseans had wondered why so many crows had shown up, but when Henry revealed it was in due to his friendship with them, they found it both odd and heartwarming.

It was strange how in Plegia, he never had a home to call his own, but in Ylisse, he was accepted warmly and with open arms. If only… if only Elena could have been there to share it with him.


	15. Love is a Fickle Thing

"Henry, I'm in dire need of your assistance," Frederick spoke as he entered Henry's school early in the morning. Class had just begun, and the students looked at him, curious as to what was so important for him to interrupt. Henry stood with a tome in one hand, a flame dancing in the other, an unwavering smile on his face. Frederick had to admit that Henry adapted well to being a teacher, and the role suited him quite so. It was an amazing thing that he knew how to treat each student and age differently; even the children were no problem for the young man.

"Hey-o, Freddybear! What do you need?" he chimed. Several of the students (some of them being Frederick's recruits) sniggered at the nickname. Frederick cleared his throat and clasped his hands behind him.

"It seems one of my students was cursed during our last mission," he began.

"Cursed? Well, you came to the right person, nya ha!" Henry grinned. He looked at his students. "Would you all like to see me remove a curse?"

Everyone either nodded or replied with a yes, so Henry motioned for them to follow him and Frederick. They knew Henry was quite gifted at both casting and removing hexes and curses, but had yet to ever see him do so. As they rose to their feet, Frederick shook his head.

"Should so many people be going? What if the curse bounces?"

"Freddybear, you wound me," Henry joked. "Never doubt the master."

"You're right. My apologies," Frederick smiled. Henry's nickname for him didn't seem to bother him anymore. "Follow me."

Hastily, they made their way to the barracks, where they saw several of Frederick's students surrounding a young woman perhaps three years younger than Henry sitting on a chair. The young woman was undoubtedly a soldier, her body toned with muscle and her stomach lean. Her black hair was layered and long, and she had a healthy glow to her skin. When their teacher asked them to make way for Henry, they obediently obliged and allowed Henry through. Confusingly, she was still in her slack wear; Frederick had his students rise with the morning sun, and she should have been changed by now. He kneeled down before her and looked at the girl to see that her eyes were closed; her hands clenched her pants tightly, and her body shook as if she were in fear of something. He recognized the girl as a knight-in-training, whose name was Emma.

"Hiya, Emma," he warmly greeted.

"Who calls me?" she questioned, her eyes remaining closed.

"Emma, this is Henry," Frederick spoke. "Surely you've heard of him."

"I have," Emma slowly nodded.

"Say, Emma, can you do me a favor and open your eyes for me?" Henry requested.

"…I don't want to…"

"Do not fret, Emma," Frederick persuaded. "He'll take good care of you."

"A-All right," she agreed. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and immediately, the curse was revealed. Before, her bright blue eyes shone vividly, but now, they were clouded over. The day before, they had all gone out on a mission to rid a village of a bandit problem, but once they arrived, a Dark Mage turned out to be the leader. She must have hexed Emma, and it did not take effect until the following day.

"Oh, wow. This is a good one!" Henry grinned. "She had it dormant until today, and those are tricky! Kudos to her!"

"Can you cure her, Henry?" Frederick asked.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Henry said. "I'll have this baby gone easy-peasy!"

"Will it hurt?" Emma muttered.

"Not one bit," Henry answered. "I don't like ouchies, so I try not to give them to anyone unless they deserve it. I'll get rid of this curse, and you'll be able to see again. Just close your eyes." When she did as Henry said, he reached out and held his hand in front of her eyes for a very brief moment. Steadily, he pulled his hand away from her face, a black mist flowing out and collecting in the palm of his hand. His students whispered amongst themselves at the sight, awed by Henry's talent. With a swift twist of his hand, the mist disappeared. He then looked at Emma and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Y'okay! Consider the curse bye-bye!"

Emma opened her eyes, the first visible thing to be Henry's smiling face. Blush crept across her cheeks as he stood up and put his hands on his hips; he had not noticed the crimson tone on her cheeks.

"And that, my students, is what removing a curse looks like. Questions, comments, and concerns can be voiced back in the classroom," he spoke. They started to walk away, but Frederick stopped them.

"Thank-you, Henry," he said. "What you did was no small feat."

"No sweat!" Henry beamed.

"You made it look so easy!" a small girl piped up. "Is it really that simple?"

"Wait till we get back to the classroom, kiddo," Henry laughed, taking several steps forward.

"Uh… Henry?" Emma called. He stopped and turned to face her; she had risen to her feet, and a warm smile was on her face. "Thank-you so much for giving me my sight back."

"Yes, ma'am," he nodded. With that, he and his students left to return to the classroom to continue the day.

Several days passed, and luckily, Frederick's and Henry's pupils did not happen across anymore curses. Due to Frederick's discretion, Henry would work out with everyone else in order to stay in shape. In his class, his students, both young and old, adored him and accepted his eccentricity, even during times when he freaked them out the most (such as the time he brought a preserved Risen arm, claiming to have "disarmed" the enemy). Tender with the youth, whose magic was so unstable and unpredictable, the children referred to him as Big Brother, a term that took him by surprise. However, he found himself to endear the term. The children also loved Panne and enjoyed her Taguel form; she often gave them rides on her back and let them play with her bunny ears.

On a morning which there was no class or training, Henry heard a knock on his door, only to answer it to find Emma standing in his doorway. A nervous smile was on her face as she popped her knuckles. It had been quite some time since Henry had received any visitors to the house; the last to stopover was Morgan and Noire. Sheepishly, she asked to come inside, which he allowed and shut the door behind them. Emma turned and faced him, her blue eyes teeming with life.

"I have a request to make of you," she began.

"Lay it on me."

"I need you to curse me," she told him, her voice stern.

"Muh?" he muttered, confused. "Wait a minute. Didn't I just remove a curse from you about two weeks ago?"

"Yeah," she giggled, "and thanks for that. But, I need you to place one on me."

"What is it with women being crazy?" Henry grinned anxiously.

"I'm not crazy," Emma shook her head. "It's just… I let that one little curse overpower me. I'm a knight-in-training. I can't let something so small defeat me."

"Nya ha, you sound just like this one person I fought with," Henry said. "I did it, but she had strong willpower, so it took a lot of hexing!"

"So, you have done it before? To someone who's asked?"

"Yes, ma'am," he nodded. "Have you talked to Freddybear about this? I _really_ don't want to endure 'Frederick's Fanatical Fitness Hour'…"

"Frederick's wha…? Never mind. But, yes, I did talk to him. He said it was up to you," Emma responded. "Look, I'm a pretty strong person. And with you here, I'm in good hands, right?"

"Good? I'd say the best!" Henry joked. "All right. I've got the necessary stuff around here, if you're ready today."

"I never thought I'd say this, but, Henry! Cast that hex!" Emma giggled as she pointed at him. "Come to think of it, I've never seen what all it takes to cast one."

"Nor will you," Henry grinned. "You have to wait outside."

"Oh, come on!" Emma whined. "I wanna see!"

"Nope!" Henry turned her around and began to gently push her toward the door. He opened it and pushed her on outside. "It's a secret!" he said as he shut the door, leaving Emma alone outside. With a pout, she crossed her arms and sat on the step. Oh, well. At least he agreed to do it. Frederick had warned her that Henry's prowess in magic and hexes was legendary status in both Plegia and Ylisse, and to give it deep consideration before asking such a thing of him. Curiosity perhaps got the better of her, and she had given it very little thought when she chose to ask. The day he had taken away her curse and given her sight back, she found him on her mind quite often; the first thing she thought of him was that he was an attractive man with a great smile.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a sudden, intense burning sensation in her lungs. Because of the pain, she made a small gasp as she doubled over, her hands on her chest and her eyes wide in shock. All the breath in her lungs was gone, and if she could have, she would have been screaming. With shaky legs, she rose to her feet and turned to the door, which she slumped into. As she reached for the door knot, Henry opened the door first. Wincing, she looked up at him as she placed a hand on his shoulder for support.

"Wh-what have… you done to me?" she breathed.

"I hexed you. Didn't we just have this conversation?" Henry smiled.

"T-take it… take it off…" she wheezed. "Henry! Take it off!"

"Aww, but it's such a good one!" he sighed. He then waved his hand over her, and instantaneously, the burning stopped, and she could breathe again.

"Gods, just how powerful _are_ you?"

"Haha, Sully had the same reaction as you," Henry laughed.

"Sully was the one who asked you to hex her?" Emma awed.

"Yes, ma'am!" Henry answered. "Her willpower at the time was a little stronger than yours, but with my help, she could handle hexes and curses like a pro!"

Emma bowed her head, ashamed of herself. "So… my willpower is weak."

"I wouldn't say weak," Henry rejected the cynical remark. "With some work, I can have your willpower like Sully's."

With this statement, Emma raised her head, an excited smile on her face. "Henry! Would you?"

"As long as you're prepared for it," he nodded. "That hex is only a fraction of what I can do."

"I'm ready for anything!" she beamed. "Oh, Henry! Thank you!"

For the rest of the day, Henry taught her the starting steps of how to strengthen her willpower. He informed her that in their later lessons, he would show her how to be able to assess when a curse or hex was placed upon her. Intently, she listened to every word he said, and even jotted down notes. When she realized that the sun was setting, she blushed and apologized for taking so much of Henry's time, but he reassured her that she was fine. It took his mind off things, anyway. She left shortly after that, and as she did, she turned and gave him a quick smile before walking away.

Henry hated nighttime. He hated how it gave him too much time to think. In a way, he felt as though he should not be in Elena's house, especially with her not there. Her spirit filled the place, and even though he had never been in the home with her, he could feel her there. Sleep eluded him- had for months; he rarely ate, and when he did, it was not much. If one thing was certain, it was that he missed her incalculably. Tharja had offered to cast a sleeping hex on him, but he dismissed the idea. No way would he give her the satisfaction of finally getting to hex him. Already thin but compactly muscular, he was losing weight from not eating, and this concerned Frederick and Panne, for they presumed he was ill. With a reassuring smile, he would have to convince them daily that he was fine. When morning would arrive, he would be grateful for it.

The next day, after training and school, Henry walked out of the classroom to see Emma already waiting for him, an eager smile on her face. She was ready to learn, he could give her that. They relocated to the house, where he resumed teaching her and giving her examples on how to strengthen her willpower. Emma could see instantly why everyone in his class loved him so much; he was an excellent, if not odd, teacher. Surprised that he was only a couple years older than she, the fact that he was such a great instructor spoke well of him. Patient and understanding, he never got frustrated with her if she goofed up or didn't quite grasp it.

Day by day, Henry trained her, and her willpower improved little by little. Frederick was happy to see that Henry had made a friend, but he could also see that Henry missed Elena significantly. Yet, he was enduring, and on every mission Frederick and his knights had, he would accompany them to search for her. Emma often wondered why he tagged along, but she just assumed Frederick needed him for his magical prowess. It was no mystery that Frederick was indeed powerful, but so was Henry. She didn't blame Frederick for taking him; in fact, she felt safer with him around. When battle did happen to occur, Emma would often fight alongside Henry due to the fact that she felt protected. One evening, after a battle to protect a small village from bandits, they sat in the fields to relax a moment before returning back to Ylisse. Emma started to walk up to Henry, but she noticed that Frederick beat her to it and stood beside the young man. For some time, they stood there and simply watched the setting sun, the cool breeze touching their skin. A smile spread on Frederick's face as he put his hands behind his back and clasped them.

"I'm going to be a father, Henry."

"Really?" Henry said as he looked up at Frederick. "That's awesome, Freddybear! Sounds like you and Panne have been having some fun after all! One could say you're doing it like RABBITS, nya ha!"

"We most certainly are not!" Frederick argued, offended by Henry's statement. "Rabbits are quick. Panne and I take our time." When he realized what he had said, his cheeks turned blood red, and he covered his mouth. "Er, not that… you see…"

Henry laughed at Frederick's blunder. "Oh, that's CAWmical, Freddybear!"

Frederick cleared his throat. "Anyway, I just wanted to tell you in case I start having to take some time off from the barracks."

"Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do," Henry shrugged.

"Yes," Frederick smiled warmly at him. He was silent for a brief moment, his eyes holding sadness. "Do you ever think about it?"

"About what?"

"You know."

"Oh…" Henry looked away from Frederick and down to the spring of grass he was playing with. "Yeah, I guess so."

No other words left Henry's mouth, and Frederick knew he was done talking about the matter. It was apparent from how well he handled Morgan and his bond with the children at his school that Henry would make an amazing father, and Elena would have been a wonderful mother. Together, they would have made a wonderful family, full of quirkiness and unconditional love. Fate played a cruel hand at their future, and it one swift move had taken it all away. Seven months had passed since that day, and with no sight or word of Elena's recovery. Still, Henry held onto hope that she would be found, if not by him, by Chrom and his family.

"Well, I'll give everyone a few more moment to rest, then we'll head back," Frederick said as he turned and walked away.

Henry sat there, thumbing the blade of grass as he thought about Elena. Her smiling face filled his mind, and his heart ached so. Gods, he wished he couldn't feel anymore once again. Elena had made him feel, even if it was only a small amount. He had been so used to being numb to pain and heartache, a constant smile on his face as he blocked everything out. Yet, the day he met her, that all began to change, little by little, and love started to bloom. Out of everyone who had given him a reason _not_ to feel, only one person had given him a reason _to_ feel, and that was her. When he realized that he loved her, he could not help but to laugh at the irony of it all. Together, they had been through hell, but only one of them had made it back.

"Fireflies!" he heard Emma speak excitedly beside him. He looked to his right to see that she was sitting down next to him, a firefly on her index finger. "I love these little guys. It's sortta funny that their butts glow, ya know?" Henry didn't say anything, and this worried her. She could tell before she sat down next to him that he was deep in thought, and she wanted to help him; he had helped her so much the past few months, after all. How could she begin to understand why fireflies meant so much to him, and how they broke his heart at the same time? Gently, she played with the firefly as she began to speak. "What's the matter?"

He looked at her and smiled. "Nothing."

"Henry," she giggled, "you may be an enigma, but for once, I can plainly see something is wrong. You can tell me."

"It's nothing to worry about, Emma," he assured her.

"Hmm… well, if you don't wanna tell me, that's fine," she said as the firefly flew away. "I would like it if you did, though."

Henry shook his head. "How's the willpower coming along?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

"Oh, it's great! I'm pretty sure if you were to cast that hex on me again, I'd be able to deflect it."

"Let's hope so, because when we get back, guess who's getting hexed?" Henry laughed.

"Ooo, it's me, isn't it? Please say it's me!" Emma joked, giving him a playful shove with her elbow.

A couple days after returning to Ylisse, Emma was cleaning the barracks with some of her classmates when she felt a slight jolt of burning pain in her chest. With a sigh, she shrugged it off; eggs with pepper seasoning for breakfast were not a good idea, after all. She focused on her chores and training for the day, glad that the random, small pain lasted very briefly so that it did not ail her efforts. When the school day was over, she met Henry at his classroom and waited for the rest of the students to clear out. Once they did, she entered and walked to him, energized for the lessons he had in store for her. Curiosity washed over her like a wave when she noticed he had an aggravated smile on his face.

"What's wrong? Why are you upset?" she asked, concerned.

"Looks like your hard work has paid off," he spoke. "I tried to put a hex on you today, and BLAM! It bounced off you like it was nothing!"

Emma gasped, her hand up to her mouth. "Y-you did?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Henry said. "This is a CAWse for celebration! Can I summon my crows? They throw some wild parties, lemme tell you!"

Without meaning to, Emma started laughing as she jumped up and down, ecstatic that she had finally done it. "R-really, Henry?!"

"Well, yeah! This one time, we threw a party for Ricken, and my crows-"

"No, Henry, not about the crows!" Emma giggled. "I… I did it!"

"Yup!" Henry nodded. He reached on a shelf and picked up the container that had the preserved Risen arm. "Give yourself a hand!" he kidded as he held it out to her.

Emma held her stomach as she doubled over, tears streaking down her cheeks. "Henry! Henry, stop making me laugh! I can't breathe!" They laughed together for a moment more, and when they calmed, she stood upright and put her hands on her hips. "I'm so proud of myself! I did it!"

"You should be. You gave it your all!"

She threw her arms around him, and this stunned him. "I couldn't have done any of this without you, Henry! Thank you so much! I'll be of much more use on the battlefield now."

"Don't mention it," Henry smiled.

It was apparent that his body tensed up when she embraced him, and this confused her. Quickly, she released him and toyed with a lock of her hair. "I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

"Just didn't expect it, is all," he said.

Emma looked down at the ground, visibly poignant. "Don't you like me?"

"Muh? Of course I like you," Henry replied, unsure on what she meant. "We've spent a lot of time together these past few months. We're friends, right?"

"Right…" Emma sighed.

"I don't understand," Henry stated, befuddled.

"I mean… I mean this," she whispered as she closed the distance between them, grabbed the front of his shirt with both hands, stood on her tiptoes, and placed a soft kiss on his lips. This took Henry by complete and utter surprise, and when she pulled away from him, she made a groan as she realized what she had done. "Oh, I'm so stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

"Emma-"

"I can't believe I just did that! I'm so stupid!"

"Emma, listen-"

"I just… I really like you, and I… Ugh, I'm so stupid!"

"Emma!" Henry firmly called. Instantly, she stopped freaking out and looked at him. "Emma, listen… You're a really nice person, but I'm married," he tenderly told her.

She gasped again, her cheeks burning. "You are? But, I've never seen your wife."

"That's because she…" Henry froze as he recalled Elena fading away in his very arms. When he gathered his senses, he told Emma everything he possibly could, and she listened attentively, not once interrupting him. He told her about his coming to the Shepherds, how he and Elena had met and quickly became friends. He told her about them falling in love and their wedding day. He told her about Morgan, and the look on her face when he tried to explain it to her was priceless. He told her about… about Elena fading away into the setting sun. Once he was through, she wiped away tears, realizing how wrong she had been. Henry had never spoken of his wife to anyone, and she could see why.

"Henry, I'm so sorry… I didn't know…" she whispered. "It makes sense now, why you went with us on all those missions. You've been looking for her."

"Yup," he nodded. "Look, I've gotta apologize to you. If I ever gave you the idea that… well, you know… I'm sorry."

Emma giggled. "We'll just say you practiced a love hex on me."

"Yeah, how about no?" Henry smiled anxiously. "That would make it look even worse, yeah?"

"Good point. Although, in a way, you did…" she whispered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," she sadly smiled. "Um… can we still talk and be friends?"

"Sure thing," Henry smiled at her. "But, are you going to be okay?"

"Ah, who doesn't go through heartbreak at some point in their lives? Besides, this is nothing compared to the hexes my mentor put on me," she winked at him.

Henry smiled at her, impressed by her strong will. Indeed, she would be all right in time.


	16. Forever in a Day

"How's this?!" a little boy giggled excitedly as he opened her tome and cast a fire spell. It soared out and hit a practice dummy on its head, bursting it into flames. He looked back at Henry, a big, snaggle-toothed grin on his face and his eyes wide. Henry walked up to him and examined the dummy.

"That was awesome!" he told him, a smile on his face.

"R-really?" His grin widened all the more.

"Yup! You sure do FIRE it up, nya ha!" he joked. He then held a fist down to him, which he balled his little hand in a fist and bumped it with a laugh.

"Me next!" a small girl enthusiastically said as she jumped up and down and waved her hand at Henry. He stood behind her as she opened her Wind tome; she concentrated and threw her arm out, but only a slight breeze was cast. "Huh? Wait, hold on. I'll get it next time!" Another attempt was made, but with the same result. With her bottom lip stuck out in a pout, she closed the book and held it down by her side, her eyes with tears. "I've really been practicing, Big Brother! I promise!"

"Hey, don't worry about it, kiddo," he soothed as he rustled her hair. "I know you have. If you want and your parents say it's okay, I'll tutor you a couple days a week after school."

"Thanks, Big Brother!" she beamed at him.

"All right, everyone, that's it for the day," Henry spoke. "Remember, tomorrow, we're going over defensive spells in more detal." A collective groan erupted from even the adults. "I know, I know. I hate them, too, but it's gotta be done. See you all tomorrow!" As the students all piled out of the classroom, Henry started to clean up the place. Certainly, he'd had to buy another practice dummy from Frederick for the next training session. Pride filled his chest; his students were making great strides in magic. He felt as though people were still in the room, so he spoke up. "Class is over for the day. If you wanted tutoring, you should've asked before the end, yeah?"

"What? I can't get off-the-clock lessons from my own father?" he heard Morgan speak. He turned around to see Morgan and Noire at the door, smiles on their faces. They had been gone for almost a year now, and he had barely heard from them. Between the two of them, Morgan had done the most growing, and they were tanned. Henry could only guess that they had spent some time in the desert. Noire's hair had become quite long, and she wore it up in a ponytail. Before Henry could open his mouth to speak, Morgan ran to his father and hugged him tightly. "How've you been?"

"I can say the same to you. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about your dear old dad," Henry said while hugging his son back. They released each other and Noire came up and hugged her father-in-law. "Where have you been?"

"We've been looking for Mother," Morgan replied. "We've even been over in Plegia. Boy, has that place changed!"

"Did you find any sign of her?"

Morgan looked away from his father, unable to meet his gaze. "No… I'm sorry, Father."

Henry sighed as he placed his hand on top his son's head and one on his hip; he was still taller than Morgan. "Your mother would thank me for no reason, and you apologize for no reason. Two crows on a branch, I tell you."

"We watched you teach," Noire timidly piped up. Henry chuckled to himself. She hadn't changed much. "You're great."

"Yeah! We've heard that people have come from all sorts of places just to be taught by you," Morgan nodded. "That's amazing."

"We even stopped by the barracks and talked to Frederick and Panne. They're going to be having a little Yarne! How exciting!" Noire smiled.

Upon closer inspection of Henry, they were stunned to see how small he was, and how under his eyes were dark and had bags. It was apparent that he was distraught over Elena, and it worried them that he appeared unwell. They didn't blame him; the one person who had given him another chance was taken so abruptly from him. Without a doubt, Henry had searched for Elena when he had the opportunity, but with him being a teacher now, it was nigh impossible. Morgan could not help but to proud of his father. Instead of wallowing in self-pity and defeat, he chose to open a school and help people. It was no wonder why he was thought of so highly.

It went without saying that Henry missed his son. At the house, he fixed them dinner, and they certainly were starving since they went back for thirds. Morgan was astounded that Henry had learned to cook so well and speculated as to why he was so malnourished. Disappointment washed over them when they realized that Henry was not eating, but he used the justification that he was not hungry. During the meal, they told him of their journeys and battles with gusto. Once they were through with their stories, which was well into the night, they inquired Henry of what he had done other than opening a school and helping Frederick with his recruits.

"Hmm, not much."

"Oh, come on. I'm sure something had to have happened," Morgan prodded.

Henry tapped his finger on his chin. "Well, there was this one thing."

"Go on," Noire pushed.

Henry told them about how he had taken a curse away from Emma, and after that had helped her build up her willpower. He informed them that she had kissed him and apparently had fallen for him, and at this, Noire jumped up and slammed her hands down on the table.

"BLOOD AND THUNDER!" she yelled.

"Noire, no-"

"I'LL FIND THIS EMMA AND RIP HER LIPS RIGHT OFF HER FACE!"

"Noire, love, calm down, please. I'm sure she had her reasons. Which I need to know. Like, now," Morgan demanded with an irritated smile.

"She didn't know I was married," Henry shrugged. "I thought everyone knew I was, but I guess not."

"A PATHETIC EXCUSE!" Noire fumed. "SHE WILL MEET MY WRATH!"

"Excuse us a moment," Morgan hastily said. He then turned and kissed Noire, and immediately, her rage subsided. Henry gave him a thumbs-up. "How well did she take the rejection?"

"Like a champ, nya ha," Henry replied. "We're still friends, and we train together."

"But, she hasn't…?"

"Nope!" Henry answered Morgan. "So, tell me. When am I going to see some grandkids?"

Noire spit out her drink and Morgan nearly choked on his food.

"I-I think it's going to be a while yet, Dad."

They stayed the night at the house with Henry, and for the first time in a long while, he did not feel completely alone. He actually slept for a couple of hours, and he was reminded of how important sleep was. When morning came, Morgan and Noire said their goodbyes and headed out again in search for Elena. Shortly after they left, it hit Henry how much he wanted them to be a family together once again.

Four more months passed, and soon it was over a year since Elena had faded away. Panne was seven months along and really starting to show, and Frederick was anticipating the day Yarne would be born. During times which Frederick could not train his students, Sully would step up and do the work; she and Gaius had been away looking for Elena as well, but decided it was time to head back to Ylisse. Gaius, naturally, resumed his life as a thief, much to Sully's disliking. Sometimes, he would joke with Henry to help him out with a hex or two, but Henry refused; he wasn't sure who was worse to deal with: Frederick or Sully.

"Aww, come on, Junior! I'll give you some of my raspberry candy," Gaius bartered while they sat in Henry's house, eating lunch together. Or, well, eating lunch with Emma while Henry had cooked for them.

"Not a chance, Mr. Extortionist," Henry grinned. "I'm not getting turned into crow food because of you."

"How about just to not break the law?" Emma piped up. "No? Okay..."

"They'll never know this stuff is missin'," Gaius shrugged, "so how is it breaking the law?"

"Gaius, you're stealing!" Emma shrieked. Gaius lunged at her and covered her mouth.

"Gods, woman, just shout it for the whole world to hear."

Emma reached up and removed Gaius' hand from her mouth. "If it's not breaking the law, then why did you panic just now? Hmm?"

"You- you tire me," Gaius groaned. He stood up and walked away, leaving Emma and Henry behind.

Emma exhaled and stirred her soup. "He's gonna get in a lot of trouble with Sully…"

The next day, during class, Henry was going over defensive arts again. Some of the students had struggled the last time they went over it, and he had held it off as long as it could be. As much as he hated it, he noticed that his students hated it all the more. He promised them that it would all be worth it and informed them that if he had not become so adept at it, he would not have survived the final showdown with Grima. This caught their attention, and they began to work harder at it. A teenage girl seemed to have the most trouble with it, so he went over to help her. Just as he took hold of her arms to show her how to cast a defensive spell, he heard his classroom door open and several people come inside. He looked up to see who had entered in the middle of class, and he felt his heart stop. All the breath in his lungs dissipated as he stood there, his eyes wide in shock and disbelief, and his students stopped what they were doing to look at the ones at the door. They of course knew Chrom, Sumia, Lissa, and Stahl, but there was one other person they did not know. That person took some steps forward but stopped and looked at Henry, her hand up to her heart.

"I… I'm sorry to interrupt your class," she timidly spoke, so low that it was almost a whisper. "I just… I had to see you. I'll wait until later, if you'd-"

"No," Henry interrupted her. "Stay."

"I know it's been a long time," she said. "I came back as soon as I could. I'm so sorry... I've kept you waiting too long. I've held you back from so much and I-"

"Stop," Henry shook his head, taking several steps forward. "Please, don't say things like that. I've done plenty. Heck, I even became a teacher!"

"I see that," she giggled. "It suits you." She twisted her foot anxiously. The students realized who she was, and wondered why the two hesitated so much. What she said next gave them their answer. "Do you… do you still love me? After all this time?"

"You're still as crazy as always," Henry smiled. "I promised you that I would love you till the day I died. I told you that I would wait for you, remember? I would have waited a thousand years if I had to, and I would have still loved you. Nothing is ever going to change that. I'll gladly like to live at your house with you, as husband and wife again. That is… if you'll have me." At this, her eyes filled with tears, and before she could stop them, they began to flow. She tried her best to wipe them away, but they fell faster than she could wipe, and she sobbed aloud. Henry felt his heart shatter at this, and he took one step forward. "Why are you crying?" She didn't answer. "Why are you crying?" he asked again, and in two steps, he made his way to her and held her tightly in his arms. Her hands clenched his shirt, and she held him as if he were about to disappear before her.

Elena had returned to him after all. It seemed so surreal, and he feared that he would wake up at any moment, and it all have been just a dream. He held her tighter, a slight squeak coming from her lips. He laughed at this and apologized as he released her and wiped her tears away. She sniffed and smiled at him, then the two put their foreheads together and closed their eyes, his hands on her cheeks. Several of the students wept at the happy reunion while others were simply smiling and elated for the two.

Elena looked up into Henry's eyes. "You waited for me."

"Of course I did," Henry smiled. "Now, just hold still. I'm going to hex you so you can never leave my side again."

Elena laughed as she gave him a playful shove. "You know, I would have known exactly where your school was even if I wasn't shown. I think every crow in the world is here."

Henry chuckled at this, then leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss. Her cheeks turned red- he had kissed her in front of his students! The classroom filled with an unanimous "Aww" when he did this, thus adding to her chagrin. A little girl ran up to the two and tugged on Henry's sleeve.

"Big Brother, is this your wife?"

"Yes ma'am," Henry nodded. "Everyone, meet Elena."

"She's so pretty!" the little girl beamed.

Elena smiled warmly at her. "Thank you! So are you!"

The little girl giggled at her. They classroom erupted into a cheer for the two, and Henry walked back to Chrom and Sumia, and Lissa and Stahl and stood before them. They had searched nonstop for over a year for Elena, and finally, they had found her and brought her back to him safe and sound. It had been the hardest year he had ever had to endure, but now that she was with him, it was worth every bit of it. Unexpectedly of him, he embraced each of them and thanked them sincerely for finding her and for not giving up.

That night, he sent his crows to inform everyone that had journeyed with them Elena had returned. He also prepared a meal for himself and Elena, which surprised her. He had learned to cook while she had been gone, and it also stunned her to see that he had left her house intact. No crows, no dismembered limbs, no newts, insects, or dark magic items- it was exactly how she had left it. What she did notice was that her husband appeared unhealthy; he had grown so slender, and the darkness and bags under his eyes were evident. She blamed herself immensely and felt like crying, and he recognized this.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"You just… Henry, you look unwell."

"I do?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I know why, too. It's my fault."

"Nah. Well, I mean, I _was_ really worried about you, but this is my fault," he said. "But, I'm perfectly normal!"

"I wouldn't use that word to describe you at all," she laughed. "Just promise me that you'll take better care of yourself, okay? I just got you back, and I don't want to lose you."

"Y'okay!" he effortlessly agreed. "Well, this is weird, huh? I've lived here for a year, but now that you're here, it's different."

"We lived together for two years, you dork."

"Yeah, but with the rest of the Shepherds in the camp," Henry stated. "There was also some sort of craziness going on. And all that fighting and blood... Mmm, blood."

"You're so weird," she giggled as she placed her hand on top of his. "Gods, it's good to be back with you. I've missed you so…"

After they ate dinner and cleaned up, they prepared for bed, Elena showering first then Henry. It nearly broke her heart to see him so thin, but she knew that in time, he would be back to his usual body. They climbed in the bed, and she scooted closer to him but stopped. She wondered if he felt as though it was odd that she found it so easy to return to the life they had before she disappeared, but what other choice did she have? Live with her guilt and anxiety? Resuming their life as before was all she knew to do. Henry never complained, so she had no idea what he was thinking.

As if reading her mind and answering all her questions, Henry put his arms around her and pulled her to him, her head falling onto his chest. In no time, he was fast asleep for the first time in over a year, his arms around her and her head on his chest. A smile was on his face as his chest rose and fell slowly. She put her arm over his waist and smiled as well. He wanted life to return to normal for so long, and now that she had come back, he had gotten his wish. All the doubts she had in her mind were a distant memory as she laid there beside him. She considered herself so blessed to have met and fallen for him, and that he had fallen for her. The first thing she had wanted to do once Chrom and Sumia, and Lissa and Stahl had found her was to return to him and to see his face and hear his voice. They could finally have the life they had wanted to have once the war was over, and perhaps start a family of their own someday. If this was a dream, she prayed that she would never awaken from it. Shortly after he had fallen asleep, sleep had found her as well, and they slept soundly together.

It was forever in a day.


	17. Protege, Part One

_*A whole other saga is starting now, guys! This is something I just randomly thought of doing, so we'll see how it goes! Hope you all like it! This will be conducted into parts. Also, this chapter is rated M. I don't want to up the whole story to M since I don't really think it's necessary since the whole story itself isn't worth the rating, but just note, there IS SEXUAL STUFF in this, so unless you don't want to read, you have been warned. FLUFF EVERYWHERE. I've put a notice where it begins and ends, so if you want to skip it, you can. ^_^*_

Elena jumped back and avoided a blast of fire, only to make a swift pivot on her foot and recharge at the enemy. Sword's hilt gripped firmly in her hand, she kept low as she eyed her assailant with determination. The mage threw out another fire spell, to which Elena rolled over and back on her feet, right in front of the mage. With fierceness, she impaled the mage with her sword, a shocked and pained cry coming out of his mouth before he fell. Behind her, she saw a burst of light and darkness and the heard the gurgled yell of a man, but she didn't even have to turn around to know it was Henry who had saved her. She heard him laugh, but her attention was directed to another enemy. Further ahead, Frederick, Sully and Gaius, Stahl and Lissa, and Chrom fought intensely to protect the small town from bandits. Elena had barely been back in Ylisse a month when Chrom came up to her and asked for her help; without any hesitation, she agreed. Naturally, where she went, Henry did as well, and he canceled school just so he could fight alongside her.

To the side, she heard a small girl scream. She whipped around to see bandits heading for the girl, who had fallen and was scooting back on her behind, tears streaking down her cheeks and her eyes wide in the utmost horror. Elena changed her direction and picked up her speed, using her agility to reach the girl sooner. She saw Henry run up beside her, knowing she was going for the girl, and she knew he was faster.

"Henry!" was all she had to say.

"You got it!" he nodded. He threw his hand up in the air, and a flock of crows enveloped him and carried him away toward the girl at a rapid pace. The girl screamed again, but the crows appeared before her and scattered, revealing a grinning Henry. "Have some death!" he laughed as he cast Goetia on the bandits, killing three instantly. Two were left, one in a stagger and the other had avoided the spell at last second. He raised his axe at Henry and the girl, and Henry cast a barrier over the two. During this time, Elena had arrived and blocked the axe with her sword. With a hard thrust, she pushed the axe back at the enemy then ran him through. By now, the other bandit had come to her senses and had twined an arrow, pointing it at Elena, but Henry killed her with Goetia instantly. Battle was still in commencement, but they looked down at the girl, whom was terrified. Elena bent down to her to try to comfort her.

"It's all right," Elena smiled at her. "We're here to protect you."

"Elena," Henry called to her, his eyes focused ahead on charging enemies. She raised up and looked back to see the oncoming enemies. She looked back down at the girl and smiled once more.

"Just stay here. Henry and I will take care of this."

She redirected her attention to the enemies and walked toward them, her sword at her side. Henry glanced at the girl, then raised his arm and lowered it to her, a flock of crows enveloping her to keep her safe. Through the small breaks of the crows, she watched them as they fought side by side, Henry casting one spell after the other and Elena expertly attacking with her blade. At first, she wasn't sure who to me more afraid of: the bandits or Henry. Whenever he killed someone, he let out a laugh or would say crazy phrases like, "Yeah, blood!" or "Line 'em up!" Yet, they _did_ save her, so she chose to trust him. Just as she thought she was safe, she saw Henry throw his arm out to her and pull it toward him, the crows picking her up and carrying her to him, where he took her in one of his arms. With his free arm, he cast Goetia on two bandits who had been trying to attack her and the crows from behind. The girl clutched Henry's arm and buried her face in his chest as he and Elena kept her safe. Suddenly, Henry ducked, and the girl saw Elena's blade barely skim over top their heads and strike the enemy down. Just as Henry rose up, grabbed Elena and pulled her to him, and threw up his hand, a barrier surrounding the three as a powerful fire spell was cast at them. The force of the explosion knocked them back, and fire and smoke was all around their area. Elena ran out from the smoke almost silently, her sword gripped firmly in her hands, a look of utmost fortitude in her eyes. Her braid had fallen out from the blast, and her lip and nose bled, along with a gash on her cheek and various cuts on her body. A mage cast several fire spells at her, which she dodged with ease as she ran to a sword-wielding bandit, ready to attack. The bandit swung his sword at her, to which she swiftly moved to the side and ducked simultaneously in order to avoid a spell by the mage. As she rose up, not only did she strike the man down, but a familiar explosion of darkness and light slayed the mage. She looked back at the smoke to see it was dissipating, and that Henry stood with his hand on his right ribs, his mouth and head bleeding. Hiding behind his cape was the girl, whom didn't have a scratch on her. Elena sighed in relief, and with the death of the last two enemies, the battle was over. She saw Henry kneeling down in front of the girl and begin to look her over for any signs of wounds they may not be able see immediately. She made her way over to them, happy to see Henry caring so much for the child's welfare.

"Nope! Not a drop on ya!" Henry grinned. "Talk about us being awesome, Elena!"

"Well, she may be fine physically…" Elena knelt down in front of the girl and smiled at her warmly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," the girl nodded. "I need to find my parents, though."

Frederick rode up on his horse and stopped beside them. As with the rest of them, he had minor wounds. "Elena! Henry! You two okay?"

"We're fine, Freddybear," Henry replied.

Frederick looked down at Henry's ribs to see them bloody. His eyebrows furrowed. "Henry, you're wounded."

"Oh, you mean this?" Henry asked, gesturing at his ribs.

"Lissa!" Frederick called for her.

"Ah, come on, Freddybear! A little blood loss isn't going to kill me," Henry smirked.

"That isn't 'a little', Henry," Frederick argued. He called for Lissa again, and in seconds, Stahl and Lissa rode up on his horse. Stahl hopped down then reached up to Lissa, who slid off the horse and into his hands and was gently lowered to the ground. She reached back and took her staff from its holster and looked at Henry's wound.

"Ouch, Henry, this looks painful," she spoke. "Then again, you can't feel it much, huh?" She reached and applied small amounts of pressure on the ribcage, to which Henry made winced. "Yup, you've broken a rib or two. Can't heal that, but I can heal the wound. Gimme a second, yeah?"

As Lissa started the process of healing his wound, the little girl opened her mouth to speak. "Th-thank you two for saving me."

"Hey, no sweat!" Henry grinned. "It was one CAW-crazy party! Look at all this blood!"

"Even with all the bandits, we managed to save all the villagers," Chrom spoke as he walked up. "Sumia is calming down the livestock as we speak."

The girl put her hand on Henry's shoulder. "I'm sorry you got hurt because of me."

"Muh?" He leaned his head to the side.

"That wasn't your fault," Elena smiled at her. "And don't worry, we're not mad or anything. We're just glad you're okay."

"All done!" Lissa said gleefully as she rose up. "It'll take time for your ribs to heal, so don't push it."

"Y'okay!"

"Henry," she firmly called. "Don't. Push. It."

"That means be careful while teaching," Frederick elaborated.

"All right, all right, sheesh," Henry exhaled. "Anyway, let's go look for your parents, kiddo! What's your name?"

"My name? It's Rivani," she replied.

She was a pretty little girl, around nine or ten years old. She wore her long, black hair in a ponytail, and her midnight blue eyes were big and full of life. A scar was on her chin right under her bottom lip. Her skin was fair, and she appeared to be an athletic child.

"Nice to meet you, Rivani," Elena greeted. "I'm Elena. This is my husband Henry."

"Hey-o!" Henry grinned and waved.

As they walked forward to look for her parents, she latched her hand onto Henry's hand. Henry did not pay this much mind; he knew she was still frightened by nearly dying. Elena thought about how adorable it was to see Rivani holding onto Henry's hand as they walked around the village in search for her parents. In due time, they found them, and they had been searching for their daughter as well. Rivani ran up to her parents, who kneeled down and embraced their child, undeniably euphoric to see her unharmed. Her parents thanked Henry and Elena for protecting her, stating that they would repay them somehow, to which they denied the action. After helping the villagers for a bit, they left to return to Ylisse.

That night, at their house, after eating and showering, Elena was sorting through some of her tactical books when she opened up a storage trunk and gasped. This caught Henry's attention, so he walked to her and looked down in the storage trunk to see the necklace he made her for their anniversary a year ago. She reached down and picked it up, her fingers rubbing the little wolves that had been carved from animal bones. She recalled that before the final battle with Grima, she had taken it off and put it on the bed at the camp so that she wouldn't lose it when… Her eyes full of heartache, she looked at Henry, wondering what it must have been like for him to have returned to camp without her, only to find this on the bed they once shared.

"Oh, hey, looks like you found it!" he cheerfully spoke. "I knew I was forgetting to give you something."

"You most certainly did," she smiled as she held it tenderly in her hands. "Maybe now, we can relax a little. I mean, I'm glad to help, but I just got back."

"I told you to stay here. The crows would've been great company."

"I'm sure they would have," she giggled. "But they're not much for conversation."

"To you, maybe," Henry grinned. "They just love the scandals of Ylisse, lemme tell you! If you could talk to them, you'd be entertained for _days_."

"No kidding?" Elena could not help but laugh. She could only imagine what crows had to gossip about.

"Oh yeah! Like, the other day, they told me Mr. Tollins and his mistress were-"

"I don't wanna know," Elena waved her hands in front of her, the necklace swaying as she did. She then looked at the necklace, a nostalgic feeling in her chest. "Thank you for keeping up with this, Henry. This and my ring."

"Yes, ma'am!" Henry nodded. "Is it me, or is it getting colder?"

"Winter's coming," Elena said. "You'll have to spruce up your fire magic to keep us warm."

"Spruce up? What the hey? You and Freddybear both forget who I am," Henry said with a crooked smile.

"It was a jest, my dear," Elena giggled. "Oh. I just wanted to tell you. You did really well with Rivani today. You were her hero… and mine." She leaned up and kissed Henry's cheek. When she did this, she felt was seemed to be a static shock course through her body. She had been back a month, and the whole time, she had barely kissed him. Needless worries filled her mind that perhaps he felt different around her now, but he always acted the same. Henry did not push her. He wanted her to become more comfortable around him and the home again. For that, she admired him; he was constantly so enduring. She stood up and turned her back to him, hugging herself as she did. This confused him, so he arose as well.

"Muh? You were so happy a second ago. What's the matter?"

"You're really amazing, Henry," she began in response. "You've been so patient and understanding with me, and I… I love you." She turned around and embraced him, her head on his chest. "I love you so much."

She felt his arms wrap around her, his warmth sinking into her skin. Much to her happiness, he had gained a little of his weight back during the month, and the dark circles under his eyes had lightened some. If he had suffered any at all, she would have never known it if he had not looked so rough. Little by little, his body was recovering from the year he had been without her.

"I love you, too," he happily said. He let go of her and bent down to the books that were on the floor. "We'd better get these put up. It's getting late."

"The books can wait, Henry," Elena shook her head. "I want to spend some time with you."

"Aren't… we doing that now?" Henry asked, puzzlement in his tone, as he rose up with a couple books in hand.

"We are," she laughed, "but that's not what I mean."

"What _do_ you mean?"

_***M rating starts now***_

At this, Elena stood up on her tiptoes and kissed Henry amorously. He took a step back, his back pressing against the table. The books that were in his hands were placed on that table, and those hands were then placed on Elena's hips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her. For a brief moment, she stopped kissing him and put her forehead on his.

"I don't think you need me to tell you what I mean," she winked at him.

"You know," he grinned mischievously, "I think I've got it now."

They resumed kissing, and before long, their clothes were on the floor as she pushed him toward the bed, their kiss unwilling to be broken by either one of them. It had been too long… After a year of no love, no embrace, no kiss, they needed each other tonight. As she straddled her husband, she made sure to be gentle with him due to his broken ribs. Not that he could feel pain all that well, but she still made effort to not hurt him at all. Perhaps they should wait until his ribs were healed? That thought was instantly shattered the moment he leaned up and kissed her neck. Nope, his ribs would be just fine. She had almost forgotten what it was like to have moments such as this like him, and while she had missed him, she had missed this, too. Love that only they could express to each other and knew of, she wondered how he had fared without her for a year. Recalling the night they had spent at the hot springs, she smirked. It was her turn to repay him. Doing the exact thing he did to her, she kissed him lower and lower until… A smiled spread across her face when she heard a low moan escape his lips. Oh, she had definitely missed _that_. She reached up and laced her fingers into his hand, and he gripped it firmly but not so hard as to hurt her hand. Continuing what she was doing, she looked to see his other hand gripping the sheets and that he was biting his lip; yeah, he had needed this. Just as he was to have his release, he pushed her away, leaving her confused.

"Not like that," he shook his head. He then gently pushed her down and looked down at her, a devious grin on his face. _Oh_, she thought. She had intended for tonight to only be about him, but this way, they both would be satisfied. No, she would not complain about that in the least. He started making love to her, but she made a faint cry, her body tensed, and he felt himself hit a familiar wall. Wait, what? "Umm?"

"I… well, this _is_ a new body," she said, her cheeks red with embarrassment. "I guess that means…"

"Oh… Oh. Oh!" It suddenly dawned on him. "Holy crow, I'm sorry…"

"Don't be," she smiled as she shook her head. "I lost it to you three years ago, and I'm losing it to the man I love again. Nothing to be sorry for."

"It's gonna hurt, right?" he asked. "It did three years ago."

"Henry, don't worry about it," Elena giggled. "We worked through it together then, and we'll do it now."

He loathed hurting her, but they worked through it together again, and soon, the pain was a distant memory as they spent the night making love. The moans and sighs, each "I love you" that was exchanged, and the tenderness and love that was expressed was almost too much for them to bear. Despite it being over a year since they had been able to do this, their stamina was amazing. As Henry neared his release, Elena looked up at him with undeniable love in her eyes. Both drenched in sweat, she reached up and placed a hand on his cheek. His muscles tensed, and he let out a moan that was like music to her ears as he went over the edge. Breathless and exhausted, they looked at each other without saying a word for some time. Finally, Elena giggled as she sat up and brushed Henry's bangs out of his eyes.

_***M rating over***_

"It's almost sunrise," she spoke. "I think sleep is out of the question."

"Worth it," Henry panted. "I like this much better than being in the camp. No one is here to interrupt us. Looks like I won't be hexing anyone for walking in on us anymore, nya ha!" He then laid his head on her shoulder, and for that moment, they took in the feelings that had been and were articulated wordlessly and through expression. Elena could not help but to smile; even after all this time, he still wanted and needed her, and so did she him. To her, no one could or would ever replace him. She thought about Emma, how she had fallen for Henry, but he shut her down. Quietly, she hooked her arm around his and gave it a slight squeeze; he could have fallen for Emma. He could have given her a chance, but he didn't. It wasn't just that he didn't, he couldn't.

His love for everything dark and macabre was unsettling at times. Enigmatic through and through, only those close enough understood him. He was perhaps slightly unhinged. The hundreds of crows that constantly accompanied him were disconcerting. And his puns… Yes, sometimes, he could indeed be creepy. Juxtapose to that, he was sweet. He was kindhearted, always with a smile on his face to hide whatever it was that he was truly feeling, and he was ready to help whoever needed it. And his puns, even though they were horrible, brought laughs and smiles to people. All of his quirks combined were the reasons why she had fallen for him, and she wondered what had made him fall for her.

Despite not having any sleep, they went through the day in good spirits. Frederick and Chrom noticed the change in the two, and immediately, they knew what had happened the night before. Henry taught his students, and Elena gave Chrom tactical advice; in her downtime, she even played with three-year-old Lucina. The necklace Henry had made her was once again around her neck, and she was happy to have it back. After the day was over, she went to the school to walk with Henry on the way home. Upon arrival, she noticed two adults and their child were talking with Henry at the entrance. She recognized the girl as Rivani, and she wondered why they were there. When Rivani saw Elena through the corner of her eye, she turned and gave her a hyperactive wave.

"Hi, Elena!"

Elena smiled at her. "Well, hello, Rivani! What brings you to Ylisse?"

"Mama and Papa are sending me to Henry's school," she answered. Elena looked at her parents and Henry.

"She can use magic, but she just can't control it all too well," her mother spoke.

"Yeah, it's usually hard for little tykes to control it," Henry smiled. "I would know."

"We told her under no circumstances could she use it," her father voiced. "Even when the bandits arrived, we told her not to. She could have hurt an innocent."

"She can also do a little bit of dark magic," her mother whispered. "Could you… teach her how to use it safely? We saw you using it during the raid."

"Nope, sorry. I don't teach that stuff," Henry denied nonchalantly. "But, I will teach her how to control it and the other kinds of magic." He then looked down at Rivani and smiled at her. "How about it, kiddo? We'll have one hex of a time!"

"What about the other students?" her mother questioned.

"Oh, don't worry. I've got people of all ages in here, so she'll fit right in," Henry replied.

"Good," her father exhaled in relief. "We'll be moving here shortly, so I wanted to let you know we'd be sending her to your school. We felt as though we'd be safer here."

"Oh, how rude of us," her mother piped up. "We haven't introduced ourselves. I'm Anora, and this is my husband Tobias."

"Well, welcome to Ylisse," Elena greeted.

"I'll be glad to take her in my class," Henry said. "Well, Rivani?"

"Sure!" she smiled. "You were totally awesome during the raid! I've never seen magic like yours! I'll learn bunches with you as my teacher!"

"You bet!" Henry laughed. "I'll see you later."

As Anora, Tobias, and Rivani walked away, Rivani glanced back at Henry and smiled at him. When they were out of sight, Elena gave Henry a playful shove.

"I think someone has a crush on you," she heckled. "Wow, Henry. You're pretty famous."

"What can I say? I'm one remarCAWble mage, nya ha!"

Elena laughed as she wrapped her arm around Henry's arm. They started toward their home together, a new life waiting just for them.


	18. Protege, Part Two

_*I had to think about how to change Ricken since he's done quite a bit of maturing and growing. Hope you like the minimalistic changes I've given him! It's sometimes difficult to imagine him all grown up, yeah?*_

Two weeks passed by, and most of the Shepherds had come by and visited Henry and Elena, elated that she had returned. Olivia cried and hugged her best friend, and Donnel was even so happy, he hugged her as well. Morgan and Noire wrote that they were almost there since they had returned to Plegia in efforts to find her, and Ricken and Nowi would arrive any moment. In those two weeks, two events happened that changed many things. Panne gave birth to Yarne, and she and Frederick could not have been any happier (Sully and Stahl took over training the recruits, with Gaius' help); Anora, Tobias, and Rivani moved into the kingdom, and she entered Henry's classroom the very next day. She was a friendly young girl, perhaps slightly reticent, but she made friends quickly. Tobias and Anora had been right about one thing: she had much difficulty controlling her magic and its potency. Henry chose to work with her one on one in order to keep the rest of the students from harm.

Henry and Elena also became so much closer now that nothing was held back between them. Emma, of course, had kept her distance from Henry; she felt as though Elena may be upset at her for what she had done, if he had told her about it. That distance, however, was broken one day when she passed Elena on her way to the barracks. Emma kept her head down, hoping she did not recognize her, but Elena stopped walking and turned around.

"Emma," she called. Emma froze and hesitantly turned. Her eyes widened when she saw an unexpected smile on Elena's face. "I want to thank you for taking care of Henry while I was away."

Emma couldn't breathe. Had she heard correctly? "E-excuse me?"

"I see that you're confused," Elena giggled. "You thought I would be angry, didn't you?" Emma slowly nodded. "Don't worry, Emma. I'm not angry at all. You remained his friend even after he turned you down. He needed someone to confide in, to keep him from being lonely. Thank you for taking good care of him. You are welcome into our home anytime."

Words failed to come to Emma's mind as she stood there, taken aback by Elena's benevolence. In due time, she smiled as well, nervousness still on her face. "Thank you so much," she spoke. "That means a lot. Really."

"Mmhm," Elena nodded. "Well, we'd better get going. See you around, all right?"

After school, Henry had Rivani stay over to tutor her. She was always full of questions, but he didn't mind it at all; in fact, he encouraged the inquiries she had. Attentive and curious, she would listen to every word Henry spoke as if it were gospel. Yet, even if she listened, controlling her magic was proving to be difficult, and she was becoming increasingly upset. A pout would form on her face, but Henry would erase it with a gentle smile.

She picked up a Wind tome and flipped through its pages rapidly. "So, why exactly do we use tomes?"

"Tomes help us to have better control over our magic," Henry replied. "We can use magic without them, but it's more difficult to control. Tomes give us lists of spells or incantations varying in strength and skill, while without them, it's just a whim and a prayer. Understand?"

"I think it'd be better if we didn't use them," Rivani sighed impatiently as she tossed the book behind her. It landed on the floor with a thunk. "Think of how much stronger we'd be."

Henry gave her a soft smile as he reached down and picked up the book. "It would seem that way, wouldn't it? Think of all the bad guys we could kill. And all that blood, nya ha!" He dusted the book off and put it down on the table in front of her. "I used to think like you, you know. But Elena told me that we have innocents to consider. What if they were hurt because of us? It would defeat the purpose of protecting them if we're the ones to cause them harm."

"I suppose," she monotonously said. "So, what's next?"

"You're an enthusiastic little one, aren't you?" Henry grinned. "I know this may seem boring, but it's necessary. We can't go on to something else until you have better control."

"Does dark magic require control?"

Henry's smile changed from happy to one of uncertainty. "Oh yeah, a hex more than any other kind. Anora and Tobias told me you could do it, which is why you _have_ to have control, Rivani."

"Let's put it this way," he heard a voice speak from the doorway. He looked up to see Ricken and Nowi standing there. Gods above, Ricken had grown, and even though he was shorter than Henry, he was a full-fledged man. He had grown a chinstrap beard, and his voice had deepened. Body thin but compactly muscular, he must have kept up with "Frederick's Fanatical Fitness Hour" with Nowi training by his side as well (perhaps not with as much gusto as her husband). His eyes still held innocence and youth. Nineteen years of age, he had developed into a very attractive young man, and Henry could see that Nowi was just as smitten with him as she was the day they wed. "Henry was my teacher, and I was very young when he took me under his tutelage. It took almost two years for me to fully gain control over my magic, even though I had used it my whole life. It's fundamental that you have control."

"If you say so," Rivani nodded. "I'll do my best. But… can I go home now?"

"All righty, kiddo. See you tomorrow!"

When Rivani walked away, Henry made his way over to Ricken and Nowi. They smiled at Henry, and he smiled at them. It had been so long since they had seen each other. Ricken laughed as he embraced his best friend, and Henry couldn't help but laugh as well as he hugged him back.

"It's great to see you, Henry!" Ricken beamed.

"Someone cast a growing curse on you, Ricken? You've shot up since we last saw each other!" Henry jested, measuring the difference between his and Ricken's heights with his hand.

Ricken chuckled as he swatted Henry's hand away. "It's called puberty, Henry. You went through it, too. I guess I just had a late start, is all."

"Aaaaand Nowi is still… well, Nowi," Henry grinned at her. "I bet people think she's your daughter."

"All time time," Nowi giggled. "Aren't they surprised when they find out I'm his wife!"

"The weird looks I get…" Ricken exhaled.

"They just don't know she's a thousand-year-old dragon," Henry stated. "No wonder they think you're some creepy guy who has a think for girls, nya ha!"

"I'm not little!" Nowi pouted.

Ricken patted her shoulder. "Henry's just giving you a hard time, dear."

"He'd better be joking, or I'll just have to turn into a dragon and teach him a lesson!"

"Bring it on, short stuff!" Henry smiled impishly. He then recalled where he was, and he changed his mind. "Er, just not here. I'd like to have my classroom not in ashes, if you don't mind."

"Aww, you're no fun!" Nowi groaned. "So, where's Elena?"

"Oh, she should be here any moment. Let's go wait outside for her."

They stood outside the school merely a couple of moments, and the very moment Nowi saw Elena appear in the distance, she took off in a sprint towards her, both laughing and crying. When she reached her, she jumped up and threw her arms around her, making her stagger briefly. Once she retained her balance, she smiled and hugged Nowi as well while Ricken and Henry made their way to them. Nowi released Elena and wiped the tears away, undeniably thrilled to see that she was back. Elena laughed as she rustled Nowi's hair, then looked at Ricken to see that tears of happiness brimmed his eyes; for a moment, she was shocked at how much he had grown and changed- she almost didn't recognize him. Ricken then reached out and took her in his arms, and she was speechless as he held her. He had changed so much, and he was no longer the boy she had met and watched grow in the Shepherds. He had become like a little brother to her while they fought together, and their bonds were close; he had missed her dearly, and he had fought the guilt of letting the Shepherds and Henry down when Elena faded away. Now that she was here, he was at peace with himself. She had come back to Henry, and their life could continue.

"Welcome back, Elena," he whispered to her, a lone tear falling down his cheek.

She gathered her senses and hugged him back. "Mmhm," she smiled. They released each other, and Nowi stopped crying as Ricken held onto her hand. Elena was pleased to see that they loved each other dearly still. "You've really grown, Ricken."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm still the same," Nowi joked.

"That's not a bad thing, Nowi," Elena giggled. "Say, how about we go to our place? We'll cook dinner together, just like old times!"

"Sounds good," Ricken warmly smiled.

At Elena and Henry's house, they all cooked together, finding it just as easy to laugh now as it was a year ago, or before everything seemed so dark and dire. Inattentive and hyperactive as always, Nowi would sometimes forget what she was doing and start playing around. Ricken noticed that the house had nothing of Henry's in it, so he chose to ask about it.

"Well, this place is certainly missing some… Henry-ness to it," he spoke. "Where's all the dark tomes, ingredients for hexes and curses, and such?"

"Down in the cellar," Elena replied.

"I have my own room down there. Suits me better! Down in the dark cellar, where I can concentrate on the darkness of curses and hexes. Elena doesn't go down there much, don't you?"

"You have all sorts of creepy crawlies down there," Elena shuddered. "I loathe the day they happen to crawl their way up here."

"That'd be the day Henry would be in so much trouble," Nowi laughed. "Elena will wake up one day with a centipede on her face, and then it'd be bye-bye Henry!"

"Let's just hope for his sake, that never happens," Elena smiled crookedly.

"Aww, now everyone is ganging up on me," Henry jokingly sulked. "Looks like I'd better take extra preCAWtions, huh?"

"So, Henry, who was that girl that was at school?" Ricken asked as he stirred the soup.

"Oh, that's Rivani," Henry answered simply.

"We saved her village from bandits, and her parents moved here for safety and for her to go to Henry's school," Elena further explained when he said nothing more.

"Oh, okay. She seemed… uninterested in learning how to control her magic better," Ricken said. "That could be problematic, Henry."

"Ah, she just wants to get to the good stuff!" Henry smiled. "I don't blame her. Fundamentals are so _boring_. She's a really nice girl, though, so don't judge her too harshly."

"Even so, she has a small attitude problem," Ricken stated. "She may take extra time and attention is all I'm saying."

"Are you two back for good?" Elena questioned.

"Yup!" Nowi answered as she ran about the home. "Chrom even set us up a house and everything! Isn't he just awesome?"

"Hey, Ricken, I got a question for you," Henry began.

"Shoot."

"Well, I could use an extra pair of hands around the school. I was just curious if you'd like to be that extra pair."

"…I get to keep my hands, right?" Ricken joked, a sly grin on his face.

"Totally! I'd ask you before I'd just take them, you know."

Ricken's grin dropped slightly. Surely, Henry was kidding… right? "That's… comforting? You know what? Sure! Henry, you got yourself an assistant!"

"What about Chrom?" Elena piped up. "Didn't you want to be his advisor?"

"He's already got you," Ricken smiled. "I think it'd be more interesting to help Henry with his school anyway."

"What about me?" Nowi asked. She ran up to them and abruptly stopped, her body moving forward a little while her feet stayed in place. "What can I do?"

Elena tapped her finger on her chin as she thought. "Oh, I know! There's a nursery you can work at. You get to take care of little children."

"Think of all the playmates you'll have, Nowi!" Ricken beamed at his wife.

"Oh my gosh! I totally wanna work there!" Nowi jumped up and down excitedly. "Can I start tomorrow?!"

"Let me talk with Javen, okay? I'm sure she'll be glad to have your help," Elena giggled.

The next day, Elena talked with Javen, who agreed without any hesitation for Nowi's help. Ricken started at Henry's school as his assistant, and the students accepted him wholeheartedly. The girls and women there debated on which young man was the more attractive and found it very easy to listen to the both of them. It was rather funny to see how different Henry and Ricken were, but they each were excellent teachers. Henry was amazed at how easily Ricken fit into his role, and it was almost as if this was what he should have been striving for all along.

Every day, once school was over, Rivani asked if she could stay over to have tutoring, to which the two mages agreed. Nearly a month of trying to maintain her control was beginning to take its toll on her, and they could tell she was becoming increasingly annoyed and hard on herself. Again and again, she would lose control, and either the spell would die out or have an overly-powerful burst. On day, in a sudden fit of rage, she grabbed Henry's Goetia, opened it, and threw her hand out at a random direction. A weak Goetia spell shot out and unexpectedly hit Ricken, whom had barely enough time to cast a barrier over himself. A stunned look was on her face as she stared at the book, which was immediately taken out of her grasp by Henry, whom had a very irritated smile on his face.

"Whoopsie," he said, "looks like I shouldn't leave things like this out in the open, huh? You all right, Ricken?"

"Yeah," Ricken nodded. "Luckily, it was weak and my barrier protected me."

"I… I'm so sorry, Ricken!" Rivani panicked as she ran to him. "I didn't mean to! Honest!"

"Hey, don't worry about it," Ricken smiled at her. "Just don't do that again, okay?"

"I could've hurt you!" Rivani was nearly sobbing now. "I would never do such a thing to you! I-I'm sorry!"

"Relax, Rivani," Henry soothingly spoke. "I don't wanna have to put a calming hex on you… or do I?"

"No, Henry," Ricken warned.

"Aww…" Henry whined. "I haven't gotten to hex anyone in FOREVER."

"Rivani, listen. It's completely fine," Ricken calmly told her. "I'm okay, you didn't hurt me at all. See, this is why having control is very important. You don't want this to happen again, right?" She nodded. "We'll work with you, no matter how long it takes. Okay?"

"Okay," Rivani smiled. "I'll be patient from here on out!"

"Good girl," Ricken smiled back at her as he rustled her hair.

"Um, can you two walk me home?" Rivani asked. "Mama and Papa won't be home until dark, and I don't want to walk home by myself. It's scary sometimes!"

"Hmm… how about you come with us?" Henry asked. "My wife and I cook really well."

"…There won't be any preserved Risen arms, right?" Rivani cautiously asked, wholly serious.

"Tell you what. We'll hold that off until your second visit," Henry grinned. Her face turned as pale as a ghost's, and he lost it.

"Henry! Don't tell her stuff like that!" Ricken chided, slamming his palm onto his forehead. He then looked at Rivani and smirked at her. "I don't want you to think we're too weird over here in Ylisse. Risen arm is a real delicacy, and we usually try to work that in meals without people knowing it's even in their food."

As he told Rivani this, not only was Henry laughing so hard, his broken ribs screamed in agony, but Rivani's face grew paler and paler, and her eyes were wide in horror and disgust.

"Mama and Papa didn't know this when we moved over here…" she whispered. "I won't tell them if you don't. I like it here."

When they arrived at Elena and Henry's house, they were surprised to see Morgan and Noire there, already helping Elena cook. By Morgan's and Elena's red and puffy eyes, they could already surmise that they had a tearfully happy reunion. Morgan embraced his father, and informed them that he and Noire had moved to Valm so that they could travel around in Plegia and Ylisse easier since Valm was the halfway point. Nowi showed up and joined them soon after they had introduced Rivani to Morgan and Noire.

Rivani looked into the cooking pot then up to Elena, her big eyes inquisitive. "So, tonight, there won't be any Risen arm?"

"Er, what?"

"Henry and Ricken promised me there wouldn't be on my first visit," she whispered. "If there is, just tell me, and I'll try to prepare myself for it."

Elena whipped around and narrowed her eyes at her husband and his best friend, whom had nervous looks on their faces. "What did you two _tell_ her?"

"Ricken, you're a big meanie!" Nowi fussed, her hands on her hips. "You made her all scared to even eat here!"

"…Maybe it's not such as good idea for those two to be teaching together. Gods help their students," Morgan sighed. Noire nodded in agreement while Elena and Nowi chastised their husbands for the prank they played on Rivani, whom just stood there in confusion as she watched.


	19. A New Beginning Part One

Teaching Rivani how to control magic was proving to be quite the struggle for Henry and Ricken. At times, she would become bored with the studies and the practice, or she would lose her temper that she could not grasp it. Her parents encouraged her to see it through, and that she would get the hang of it in no time, and at times, their support would help her. Jealous of the other children, who made it seem as though it came so easily for them, she distanced herself from them. The adults and teenagers in the class even gave her heartening words, but she allowed her bitterness to get the better of her. Again and again, she would ask Henry to teach her dark magic; again and again, he would deny her request, and this frustrated her as well. In time, she became an angry child, and it was up to Henry and Ricken to have a heart to heart with her.

After class one day, she sat in her chair with her arms crossed, obviously uninterested in the help they were giving. Ricken exhaled and put down the tome he was holding, and he and Henry walked up to her desk; Henry knelt down beside her, and Ricken in front of the desk.

"All right, Missy. What's the matter?" Ricken asked.

"Nothing," she curtly replied.

"If there's nothing wrong with you, then by all means, someone hex me now," Henry grinned.

"Look, we both know you're irritated that you're having a difficult time," Ricken began, "but you have to let us help. That's what we're here for."

"Help?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Henry nodded.

"I've let you help me for several months now."

"Oh, come on, Rivani. You've not only shut us out, but all your friends as well," Ricken pointed out gently. "We want to help you."

"What's the point?!" Rivani yelled, grabbing a tome off her desk and throwing it across the room. "I'm eleven years old and can't cast magic because I don't have control! I won't get it! I never will!"

Henry looked at the tome that was lying on the floor. "What have you got against tomes?" he whined.

"Everything is a joke to you, isn't it?" Rivani snapped. "You've obviously never felt helpless before!"

"Rivani!" Ricken firmly called. Of course she wouldn't know what Henry had gone through being with Elena. She wouldn't know of his past, how he was abandoned and tortured at the school, or that he lost the only fatherly figure he'd ever had to hunters. It hurt him that she gave Henry no consideration, and he would certainly chastise her for it.

"Ricken, it's all right." Henry smiled warmly at Rivani, which stunned his best friend. "I know exactly what it's like to feel helpless. You try your best, and it seems that nothing turns out like you wanted it to. You feel as though you've let so many people down, especially those that matter the most. And you feel alone. Some hide it with a smile. Some bottle it up until it explodes. Others become bitter." He put his hand on her shoulder, surprised to feel her trembling, as if she was holding back tears. "But you know what?" She shook her head, her lip quivering and tears brimming her eyes. "When things _do_ work out in your favor, all that hard work you did makes all the difference, and you'll be proud of yourself."

"Besides," Ricken sided, "didn't you say you weren't going to be pessimistic anymore?"

A faint gasp could be heard from Rivani, and she was silent for a moment. A smile then spread across her face. "You're right. I'm sorry. I was really mean, wasn't I?"

"Ah, it wasn't so bad," Henry shook his head, also with a smile on his face. "Welp, let's call it a day. We'll get right back on this tomorrow."

Once Rivani left, Ricken exhaled a long breath and plopped down on a chair. Helping Rivani was taking a lot out of him; he tried everything he could possibly think of to break through her mental block, but it all came out unhelpful. Henry sat down on a chair beside Ricken and stretched his legs out, feeling slightly how Ricken was.

"I don't know what to do anymore, Henry," Ricken spoke. "I've tried everything. Nothing's working, and she's getting angrier every day."

"Seems like it, huh?" Henry agreed in his usual perky tone. "I learned my lesson and keep Goetia out of sight. Don't want you to get blasted again, nya ha!"

"Me? She blasted you pretty good today, wouldn't you say?" Ricken said, disbelief in his voice. "You all right?"

"Yes, sir!" Henry chimed. "People just don't get me, but that's okay. Being normal is for the crows!"

"You got that right," Ricken laughed. "Well, we'd better head on out. I'll see you tomorrow, Henry."

At home that night, Elena asked Henry about Rivani's progress, to which he told her what happened. She was disappointed that Rivani had acted that way and that she was still unable to control her magic, but she remained hopeful that eventually, she would achieve her goals. During the day, she had received word that Lonq'u and Cherche were expecting a child, and she and Henry were elated for them. As they prepared supper together, Elena thought about what it would be like to have a child; the Morgan they knew was already grown, and while she loved him unconditionally, she wondered how it would be to raise one from the start. It was apparent from how well Henry treated Morgan that he would be an amazing father. A smile spread on her face; perhaps in time, they would start a family.

The next day, after school, Henry and Ricken stayed over to tutor Rivani again. With an open mind and a gentle smile, she listened to every word and took it all to heart. Just as they were to call it a day, she read an incantation aloud from the fire tome in her hands and threw her hand out at a practice dummy, a fire ball expelling out and consuming it. Her eyes wide and mouth agape, she turned and looked at Henry and Ricken, expecting to see shocked looks on their faces. Instead, they laughed and congratulated her for her success at last. She began to laugh in excitement, and she ran up and hugged the both of them.

"Well, would you look at that?" Ricken laughed as she hugged him. "You did it, Rivani!"

"Way to light it up, Rivani!" Henry cheered.

"I did it!" she giggled. "I finally did it! Thank you so much for believing in me!"

"Don't mention it," Ricken smiled. "You've still got much to learn, but now that you've got the basis down, the rest will be cinch!"

From that day on, Rivani's magic improved tremendously. Not only were all the students amazed, but so were Henry and Ricken at the potency of the spells. Now that her block was gone, the magical world was at her fingertips, and she grabbed all that she could. Elena and Nowi would come by and watch whenever they had the time, and they were just as impressed as everyone else. Without a doubt, she could and would be a very powerful mage in due time. Even though she had gotten past her barrier, she still went to her teachers for guidance, absorbing every word. She still thought tomes were only there to hold mages back, but she kept true to her word and utilized them, and each day, she grew stronger.

As snow fell one night, Henry watched it from the window. Elena walked up behind him and put her arms around his waist; he had gained his weight back and looked so much healthier. They both maintained Frederick's Fanatical Fitness Hour together, sometimes with Nowi and Ricken, to stay in shape. By that window, they stood for a while just to watch the snow as it fell quietly outside. It was almost magical for her to be there with him in their house to see the first snowfall of the winter- last year, he had witnessed it alone. She chose to push those thoughts aside and simply enjoy the life they lived now, happy together. It would not do any good to keep thinking back to those days that were long since passed.

"Oh, by the way," Henry randomly spoke. "What do you want for your birthday?"

"My birthday?"

"It's coming up, yeah? What would you like?"

"I had almost forgotten!" Elena breathed.

"I didn't!" Henry said in a sing-song voice. "Just tell me, and I'll get it for you."

Elena shook her head. "You don't have to do that, Henry. Just being with you is a gift all on its own."

"Okay! I'll just wrap myself up in paper. To you, from me, nya ha!" Henry joked, which made Elena laughed. "Seriously, though, what would you like? It can be anything."

"…Anything?" she whispered. She grew quiet, and this lasted for some time before she wrapped her hand around Henry's hand. "I… Never mind."

"Aww, don't leave me guessing!" Henry grinned. "Tell me."

"I… want a baby, Henry."

"Oh! Well, why didn't you just say so?" he casually asked. "I can do that easy peasy! No hexing involved!"

"I know you can, and very well, too," Elena giggled. "But, I mean, this is a huge change. Are you ready for this?"

"To tell you the truth, I've been thinking about having a little me running around the place, casting hexes catching bugs with me," Henry replied matter-of-factly. "I just wanted you to say something first to let me know you were ready."

Elena laughed again. "You're amazing, you know."

"I know," Henry nodded, a smile on his face. "Whenever you're ready to start trying, let me know! I'm always ready, nya ha!"

Elena shifted her weight from one foot to the other in apprehension. "Umm… Henry…"

At this, Henry leaned in and kissed her. "Say no more. I gotcha covered."

It was a night of pure passion. They knew, of course, that it varied on the chances she would conceive; it could be that night, or it could take several tries. Not that they mattered, but they didn't want to get their hopes up. While they did have a goal in mind, they enjoyed themselves in the process. During the day, they would go about to their vocations, and at home, if no one came over, they would make love time and time again. Of course, there were nights which they had company, and they didn't mind to take breaks for their friends. Rivani and her parents would come over and visit as well, for she had taken quite a liking to Henry, Elena, Nowi, and Ricken. Stahl and Lissa would visit, as well as Frederick and Panne with little Yarne, and Gaius and Sully. During one of Morgan and Noire's stays, they inquired him on what he thought about it, and he urged them to give it go, a happy smile on his face.

A month passed by, as well as Elena's birthday, and they received their answer.

They were going to have a child.

For Elena, nothing was cuter than to see how excited Henry was to learn that he was to be a father in the present time. At long last, he would be able to have the family he never had, and she was certain that he would give just as much love to their newborn Morgan as he had given to future Morgan. When she told Chrom and Sumia, they were openly happy for them and offered advice, to which she gladly took.

When Henry decided to tell Ricken, it was on their way to the school one morning. Snow fell all around them, and the area was completely white. The sun was rising, making the snow glimmer in the light. Nowi had learned to knit and made the two of them scarves and gloves, Ricken's blue and Henry's purple, which they wore. All was silent, for the day had not yet truly started in Ylisse. Before they reached the school, Henry stopped, Ricken following suit.

"So, I'm about to tell you something that may CAWse you to be surprised," he spoke.

"Wouldn't you know? So am I!" Ricken laughed.

"You first," Henry said.

"No, no. You brought it up, so you first."

"Y'okay! I'm gonna be a father!" he effortlessly and proudly revealed.

Ricken let out a chuckle as he patted his best friend's back. "Congratulations, Henry! I know you two have been trying. Glad to see that hard work paid off!"

"Yup! Let's just hope he gets my genes," Henry grinned. "What were you going to tell me?"

"The same as you," Ricken laughed yet again as he reached behind his head and messed with his hair. "Nowi and I just found out."

"Someone's been riding a dragon in his free time, nya ha!" Henry jested. Ricken's face turned red, but he remained smiling as he nodded. "Well, good for you two. You gonna name the little tyke after your best bud?"

"I'm not naming our daughter Henry," Ricken chided teasingly. "But… you and Elena will be the godparents, just so you know."

"Yeah? We were thinking the same thing about you and Nowi."

They looked out at the rising sun, most of Ylisse still in quiescence. Most had not awoken yet, and if they were, they were silently preparing for their day so as to not wake anyone else. It all felt surreal as they stood there. Almost four years ago, they had met and became friends as they battled together. Who would've thought that their friendship would be perhaps even stronger now than it was then? Everything was so uncertain back then, whether they would survive the war, let alone the next battle. And here they were, four years later, starting families of their own. Ricken thought back to when he had been wounded so badly, and he put a hand on the scar that was on his torso; he nearly died then, and if he had… He was so young, and to think that he made it out of that war was a feat all on its own.

Ricken looked at Henry, a heartwarming smile on his face. "Henry," he nearly whispered, "we're going to be fathers."

The smile on Henry's face was just as touching as Ricken's as he kept his eyes on the horizon. "Yes, sir. One hex of a thing, isn't it?"

"It sure is…" Ricken agreed. He chuckled to himself. "I wonder what Rivani will have to say about this."

Tiny sweat beads appeared on Henry's forehead. "I'll prepare us a hex to protect our eardrums. She's going to get loud."

Ricken started walking again, a playful grin on his face. "You're telling her."

"Oh no, I'm not telling her for you!" Henry argued as he chased after Ricken. "It's _your_ kid! Don't you throw me in the lion's den!"

Thankfully, Henry did prepare a hex to protect their eardrums, for when they told Rivani after school that day, she squealed in utter delight and jumped up and down. They couldn't help but to laugh at her enthusiasm; it was almost as if she was more excited than they. After a few moments to allow her to get it out of her system, they calmed her down, and the lessons began. Of course, they should have expected after ever few sentences, she would ask questions pertaining to babies. When it was apparent that her mind was unable to focus, they called it a day and took her to Henry and Elena's house, where Elena and Nowi were waiting. They told her as much as they could, and by the end of the night, Rivani was indisputably enthralled and wanting so badly for the babies' arrivals to already be at hand.

"It'll be another nine months, Rivani," Elena giggled.

"Aww, that's like… FOREVER!" Rivani groaned as she slumped in her chair. "Why do babies have to take so long?"

"I know, right?!" Nowi agreed. "But we just gotta be patient."

"Oh! Did you guys know that Lissa is about three months along?" Ricken piped up. "I just found that out today."

"No kidding? Why didn't she tell me? I'm going to have to fuss at her for that," Elena said.

"Everyone is having babies!" Henry grinned. "It's like someone has cast a baby hex on us all!"

"Or. OR people are just having se-" Ricken cut off when he remembered Rivani was in the room. "Seminars on children! Seminars on children, that's what we're doing these days, ha ha!"

Henry and Nowi let out a howl of laughter, and Elena leaned into Ricken's ear. "That was the worst save I've ever heard," she whispered to him.

"Shut-up… At least it was a save. She doesn't even know otherwise," Ricken muttered back, his cheeks reddened in embarrassment.


	20. A New Beginning Part Two

_*Sorry this took so long, guys! I've been hella busy!_

I meant to mention this in the previous chapter, but a huge shout-out to for the suggestion of dragon-riding puns! Thank you so much for the idea and for reading!

Also, I'm making a change to something, and I hope it doesn't bother anyone. I gave the reasoning as to why, and I feel like this would be how I felt if I were in their shoes.*

"How's Elena's pregnancy fairing?" Frederick inquired of Henry as he examined of his students whom he thought to be cursed. The student was calm, just as Frederick had advised him to be since he was under good care. Henry waved his hand idly in front of the young man, and immediately, the curse was gone.

"Bye-bye, curse!" Henry grinned. The young man thanked Henry as he stood up and walked away, Henry rising to his feet as well. He faced Frederick and smiled. "She gets sick a lot. I thought about hexing her, but I don't know if it'd be safe to do with the little guy in her belly now."

"That will subside in due time," Frederick nodded. "If you and Elena, and Ricken and Nowi have any questions, you can come to me or Panne. We'll help you."

"Thanks, Freddybear!" Henry beamed.

With Elena and Nowi both being pregnant, at times, the school would have to be closed for a day so that Ricken and Henry could be there for their wives. The students understood, and Rivani would help as much as she could. Her parents would bring food over when they were not too busy and visit them. Rivani was still as excited as ever about getting to meet the babies whenever they would arrive.

Rivani's skills in magic grew evermore powerful, and she soon asked Henry consistently if he would teach her dark magic; every time, he would deny it with his usual smile. Of course she wouldn't understand why he would not teach her. He had offered to teach Ricken once years ago, but due to his pure heart, he could not. It was then that he realized that the world did not need another person like him. While Rivani did have a slight temper and a bit of a dark side to her, she was also innocent and full of life and love. Not only that, but he was certain if he did teach her, Elena would give him an earful for it, and that was undoubtedly something he wanted to avoid at all cost.

One evening, after Rivani had brought some food that she and her mother had made over to Henry and Elena's house, Elena grew ill and ran to the bathroom, Henry following her. As she threw up in the toilet, he held her hair back and rubbed her back gently, and Rivani cleaned up the kitchen as this transpired. Once Elena was better, she and Henry thanked Rivani for her help, to which she smiled brightly at them. She mentioned that Nowi did not get sick like Elena, but would get serious heartburn instead; Ricken did everything he could to make it more comfortable for her. Rivani was a huge help to the two families, and they thanked her often for it.

Three months passed, and it was Rivani's birthday. In order to show her their appreciation for her and her parents, Henry and Elena, and Ricken and Nowi held her a birthday party at the school, all of her friends invited as well. Lissa and Stahl arrived with their infant son Owain. It had been some time since Morgan and Noire had been around, so when they arrived to celebrate as well, they were surprised to see how large Elena and Nowi had become.

"Your stomachs are huge!" Morgan exclaimed.

"Morgan!" Noire gasped as she latched onto his arm, her cheeks red in embarrassment.

"Er, sorry," Morgan smiled nervously.

"It's the truth! Look at us!" Nowi giggled. "We look like we're about to pop!"

"I wonder who will give birth first," Stahl thought aloud.

"Ooo! Let's bet!" Henry grinned.

"No, Henry, this isn't a race," Elena sighed.

"Well, when the time arrives, come to me," Lissa spoke. "I deliver babies all the time! I'll be your midwife."

"Thank-you, Lissa," Elena smiled warmly.

Rivani ran up to them, a wide grin on her face as she stopped in front of them. They could tell that she had never had a birthday party before, and they were happy to have given her this opportunity to have one. Several children were behind her, tugging at her to play with them.

"Thank you so much for the party!" she beamed.

"Don't mention it, sweetie," Elena told her. "It's the least we can do for you."

"Yeah! You've been a total help to us, so we wanna thank you!" Nowi said.

"Hey, looks like you're missing something," Ricken spoke. Rivani titled her head to the side, a questionable look on her face. "Oh, that's right! You're missing your party hat!" Ricken reached behind him, grabbed a party hat, and put it on her head, gently fitting the string under her chin.

"Yup! It's not a party without the hat!" Henry chimed in. Elena could see Rivani's parents to the side, her mother with tears of happiness flowing down her cheeks. It registered to her that Rivani's parents, although they tried with everything they had, had never been able to provide something like this to their daughter. Without a doubt, Rivani would have appreciated whatever her parents would have done for her, but they knew that everyone deserved at least one party in their lifetime, and tonight was her night.

Rivani's smile widened all the more. "Now it's a party!" she laughed.

"Too bad Elena wouldn't let me invite my crows. They can throw a pretty wild party, you know, nya ha!" Henry grinned.

"Tell you what, Henry. For my birthday, I'll let your crows in for the party," Emma spoke. "We'll see just how wild they can get."

"Yay!"

"Oh, gods, no…" Elena sighed as she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

After the party and before sleep, Elena thought about how Henry would make a wonderful father. She wondered if she would make a good mother, and if their child would be happy. Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt Henry's hand on her extended stomach, and she looked beside her to see a wide smile on his face; he loved to feel the baby kick, and would often kiss her stomach and talk to the baby. Beside her bed was the crib that Chrom had built for her with his own hands, so elegantly crafted. Something had been on her mind for some time, and she decided to ask Henry about it.

"Henry?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I've been thinking… do you think we should name our child something other than Morgan."

"Muh? But, aren't we supposed to?"

Elena looked at Henry's hand that was on her stomach. "I don't see why we have to. I mean, Morgan is already here. His future was already set, and he's grown and married. It would get somewhat confusing if we had two children named Morgan, wouldn't you agree?"

"I hadn't given it any CAWsideration," Henry joked. "I figured we'd just use the name we'd given our future son- BAM! Easy peasy!"

"I… sort of feel like it'd be a smack in Morgan's face if we did that," Elena quietly stated. "It would almost be as if we're trying to replace him with our present child."

"If you say so!" Henry shrugged, his typical smile on his face. "So, what would you like to name the baby?"

Elena placed her hand on top Henry's hand. "What would you?"

"Me? Heck, Elena, I don't care. Just whatever makes you happy!"

A giggle escaped from Elena's lips. "Henry, you have to care. It's something a person is stuck with for the rest of their lives."

Henry moved his hand around to where he could lace his fingers into Elena's fingers and rubbed them softly. "Carter. I like that name."

"Carter? Hmm… Carter. I like it, too," Elena smiled. "It's settled then. Carter."

"Talk about easy peasy!" Henry laughed.

Nearly two months passed, and during class one day, Sumia ran into the classroom; immediately and without her having to say a single word, Henry knew and had Ricken take over. As quickly as they could, they ran to the clinic, where Henry joined his wife's side. A smile spread across her face once he arrived, and she felt him wrap his hand around her hand. It was something Henry had never witnessed, the birth of a child. What little he knew of it was that the woman experienced pain unlike anything anyone would ever experience and would almost be in the jaws of death. Their child was slightly early; however, once when the time has arrived, nothing can stop it. Lissa and Maribelle did all they could to help, but Lissa knew all too well that nothing would ease the pain.

It was agonizing for Henry to watch as his wife endured the pain. Time and time again, she would clench his hand and purse her lips together, muffling her cries. Never before had he wanted to put a hex on her to dull the pain, and it was all he could do not to. Feeling utterly useless, he kept a smile on his face as he urged her to see it through. Hours passed, and he knew she had to be exhausted, but not once did she show signs of giving up or slowing down. Outside the room, Ricken and Nowi, and Rivani and her mother and father stood, and they could hear Elena cry out from time to time. Ricken took Nowi's hand into his; her time would come soon, and it scared him that she would go through that much pain. He also worried if her small body would take that kind of torture, and the thought of losing her made his heart break. Nowi, knowing what he thought, gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

Henry felt Elena squeeze his hand again from pain. What on earth was taking so long? Did it normally take so many hours for a child to be born? The first and only time she lost consciousness due to agony, it nearly broke his heart in two. When she awoke shortly after, the process began all over again, and she would hold tightly onto her husband's hand. He never once left her side, and continued to push her on, even if she would have without his encouraging words- she was always so strong. One last push. She gave it everything she had, and it all hung on to that moment.

A newborn's cry filled the room.

Henry looked at Elena to see a blissful smile and tears of happiness on her face. Despite looking so somnolent, she was beautiful, and even all the more so the moment Lissa had cleaned off the baby and placed him in her arms. Once Henry saw their child, it felt surreal to him. A full head of white hair was in plain view, and their son's eyes were silver- unlike the future Morgan's brown eyes he had received from his mother. He leaned in and gave Elena a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"You did great," he softly spoke.

"No, you did," Elena smiled drowsily at him. "Would you like to hold him?"

"You bet!" Henry grinned enthusiastically. He sat down next to her, and she placed him in his arms. In that instance, it registered to Henry what it truly meant to be a father as his eyes took in the vision of his and Elena's son. So small, so fragile, but he knew in time, he would grow to be a strong man full of love and life. A little piece of immortality was in his arms, and before he even realized it, tears flowed down his face. "Hey, little guy," he nearly whispered. "I'm your daddy. The awesome lady who held you before is your mama." He felt the baby's hand wrap around his index finger. Beside him, Elena smiled warmly as she watched, proud. "You're gonna be a powerful mage one day, that you are. I've got so much I can teach you. You'll be remarCAWble."

"We still have to name him," Elena said. "Are we going to keep the name Morgan, or are we…?"

Henry leaned his forehead gently onto the baby's forehead and closed his eyes. "Carter. Let's name him Carter."

Elena smiled. "Carter it is."

After checking to see if they were ready for others to come in, everyone out in the hallway piled into the room. It was a heartwarming sight to see the new family, Elena holding Carter with Henry sitting beside her. To Elena, all the pain she went through to bring their son into the world was a distant memory. They were stunned to hear that they did not name him Morgan, but once they explained why, they understood; Ricken and Nowi even began to consider a different name for their daughter when she would be born. Adjusting to life with a newborn was difficult at first. The lack of sleep was one thing, and coupled with lack of love life was a struggle. Yet, it was inarguably worth it as they held their son.

A week after Carter' birth, Ricken and Nowi gave birth to their daughter. Luckily, it had not been as much of a struggle as it had been for Elena, and Ricken was amazed at how strong Nowi had been through it all. Ricken had stayed by his wife's side and had encouraged her the entire while. When it was all over, and Nowi held their little girl, Henry walked up to him and gripped his shoulder tenderly.

"You should be proud of yourself, ya know," he told Ricken. A smile spread on his face. "You did well."

Ricken and Nowi chose to rename their daughter Harper, feeling the same way Elena and Henry had felt about their son. Rivani was nearly beside herself when the two babies were born. She would visit often and ask to hold the babies, and she was surprisingly really careful and tender. Everyone was and wasn't amazed at how well it suited Henry to be a father. Elena was so proud of him, and she was happy to finally be able to give him the family he had always wanted. Seeing Ricken and Nowi so happy together with Harper made Elena delighted as well.

As wonderful as their lives were during this moment, that all was about to change. One evening, while Rivani was walking home after visiting Elena, Henry, and Carter, she heard someone call out to her in a side alley. At first, she ignored the call; her parents had taught her to be cautious. When she heard it again, she looked to the side to see a man that appeared to be in his mid-forties with robes that looked familiar to Henry's. She recalled asking Henry about it, and he told her they were Plegian robes. He hardly wore them anymore, but she had seen them in the home. The man was tall with peppered hair and a chinstrap beard. His red eyes seemed cold, and she thought that it was so odd to see those eyes. A warm smile spread across his face.

"Hello, child," he spoke, his voice deep but strangely not ominous. "You may not know this, but I've been watching you. Your magic is… phenomenal."

"Well, thank you," she cautiously spoke. "How do you know of me?"

The man smirked. "I know your teacher all too well," he answered. "Henry, the Plegian dark mage." He put his hands behind his back. "Tis a tragedy that he refuses to permit you to hone your talents."

"Talents?" Rivani asked. "You mean my dark magic?"

"That it certainly what I mean," he nodded. "I know that you must direly wish to learn about this mysterious power of yours. I could teach you everything about dark magic that you could possibly imagine."

Rivani's eyes lit up. "You can? But… I thought Henry was the most powerful dark mage there was."

"Is that what you've heard?" the man sneered. "Ha! This amuses me. Come with me, and I'll show you who the more powerful mage is."

He held his hand out to Rivani, whom stared at it incredulously. Oh, how she wanted to learn. She dreamed of learning dark magic for so long, and now that the opportunity was before her, she was betwixt and between. Should she return to Henry and Ricken, or should she go with this man, whom she knew nothing about? Hesitantly, she reached her hand out to take the man's hand, but stopped halfway and coiled it back to her chest.

"I… I have to talk to Henry," she spoke. "Maybe I can convince him to teach me. I just… I don't want to let him down."

"Very well," the man smiled as he lowered his hand. "My name is Nocturne. Should you change your mind, you'll know where to find me."

Rivani backed away slowly, then turned and ran, leaving Nocturne alone in the alley. Surely, Henry would understand now; it was either he teach her, or Nocturne. Questions and doubts coursed through her mind and jumbled up so fast, she found herself to have a headache. Did no one know about Nocturne? Had Henry made up all those stories about his magical prowess to make himself appear godlike and indomitable? Unable to sleep that night, she tossed and turned, thinking about what she would say to Henry the next day after school. During school, she was quiet and kept to herself. Her friends wondered what was wrong, but she deflected their concerns with a smile.

Once school was over and everyone had cleared out, she made her way up to Henry and Ricken; despite them being new fathers, they still managed to find time for her and other students who needed extra help after school. For a moment, she merely stood there, her eyes on the floor, avoiding their gazes. Praying he would not get upset with her, she chose to ask.

"I have a question to ask of you," she began.

"Yes, ma'am?"

She looked up and focused her eyes on Henry's eyes. "Can you teach me dark magic?"

As usual, Henry smiled warmly at her. "Rivani, we've been over this. I'm not going to teach you dark magic."

Rivani clenched her fists. "But, Henry! I want you to teach me. Out of anyone in this whole world, I want it to be you!"

"And that's the very reason why I won't," Henry softly rejected. "Dark magic is powerful and can be scary for others when they first start. Who knows? You could be like me and love it. And that's what scares me."

It felt as though Rivani's body had been jerked. Henry was scared? She had never seen him scared. Ricken merely stood by his side, his eyes full of sadness, and this confused her. What did Henry hide from her?

"You'll never know until you try," Rivani countered.

Henry smiled again at her and put his hand on top her head. "No can do, kiddo. I'm not going to teach you things you should not know."

Frustrated, she pushed his hand off her head and grabbed Goetia off his desk. She opened it up and cast the spell to the side, and this time, it was more powerful. With ferocity, she closed the book and slammed in back onto the desk. "I already know it! I can do it! I just need you to teach me!"

"For what reason? Hmm?" Henry questioned. "Why would you possibly want to learn it? What would it benefit?"

"I-"

"You can already defend yourself and those you love with the magic you know. Dark magic is not something to be taken lightly. It takes pain and longsuffering to be able to fully grasp its control, and that, Rivani, is something I am not willing to put you through, now or ever," Henry told her, his smile tinged with disappointment. "You can ask me a million times, and my answer will still be the same."

Her eyes filled with tears. "…You won't teach me…"

"Sorry, kiddo," Henry said, his smile transforming into one of love.

"Then… if you won't teach me, I'll find someone who will!" she cried out, her tears falling from her eyes. She took off and burst out the door, running past Elena whom had Carter in her arms.

"Rivani!" Elena called out to her. With worry in her eyes, she looked at Henry and Ricken, whom shook their heads.

Rivani did not slow down until she reached the alley she met Nocturne in. With a sudden halt, she peered down the alley to see him standing there, a smile on his face. Now, with no hesitance whatsoever, she made her way up to him and stood before him. Despite the tears that flowed down her cheeks, she stood firm and with determination.

"Yes, child?"

"I'm ready," she spoke as she quickly wiped her tears away. "I'm going with you."

The smile on his face spread all the wider.

Early the next morning, a knock was heard on Henry and Elena's door. Thankfully, Carter slept through almost anything, but they rose out of bed and answered the door, surprised to see Ricken and Nowi with Tobias and Anora. Tobias had his arm around his wife's shoulder as she wept, and this worried Henry and Elena. What they were informed next made their blood congeal.

Rivani had not returned home from school the day before.

The search began. Stahl, Chrom, Frederick, and Gaius joined; Sully couldn't because she was experiencing morning sickness herself. Panne, Lissa, Nowi, and Elena stayed home with their children while the men and guards helped Tobias and Anora search for their daughter. All throughout the country, people assisted the family in hopes that they would find Rivani safe and sound. For months, they went throughout the entire kingdom; even the other Shepherds returned to join in on the search. Elena even wrote to Morgan and Noire to look out for any signs of the child, to which they did and searched for her and Valm, but to no avail. How were they to know that Rivani and ran away with Nocturne to Plegia?

With heavy hearts, they called off the search months later. Still, they held onto hope that perhaps she would return or be found safe and sound. Life slowly began to return back to normal, but for Henry, he was stricken with guilt. He would hide it with his quirky smile and behavior, but Elena, Nowi and Ricken, and Frederick knew otherwise. Before bed one evening, Elena found Henry sitting in a rocking chair, a sleeping Carter in his arms. She walked up behind him and put her arms around him, her head leaned on his shoulder.

"This isn't your fault," she softly told him.

"Think so?" he asked.

"I do," she nodded.

"Yeah, well, I should've taught her dark magic," he spoke in his usual tone. "She begged me to teach her, and I wouldn't. Before she went missing, she told me she was going to find someone who would teach her, and we know where they are." He hugged Carter closer to his chest, and she could feel the heartache he felt. "What if something happened to her? What if she…"

"Don't give it another thought," Elena said. "I know she's fine. I can feel it. We just don't know where she is right now."

"You don't think she's a bloody mess lying in a forest somewhere?" Henry nonchalantly asked.

"Not a chance," Elena shook her head, used to his abrasiveness. "She's a tough girl. She had the best two teachers the world could ever ask for." She looked down at Carter and placed a hand on his cheek. "I can't imagine what Tobias and Anora are going through, though… If something were to ever happen to Carter…"

This time, Henry shook his head. "I'm not giving up on her. I'm going to keep looking, even if it takes the rest of my life."

Elena smiled warmly at him. "We'll look together. Okay?"

It was a promise that would hold for many years to come…


	21. Darkened Heart Part One

_*Um… when you reach a certain point… _

_PLEASE DON'T HATE ME. T_T* _

Seven years passed in the blink of an eye.

Henry and Elena gave birth to a daughter two years after Carter was born, and she unsurprisingly looked just like her father as well. She was given the name Raven, and Carter was proud to be a big brother; he took it upon himself to protect her and keep her safe, even at a very young age. Carter was much like his mother, but did inherit some of his father's side, such as his liking for insects. Raven, on the other hand, took after Henry; she loved darkness and macabre, even at the age of four. She was certainly a daddy's girl and learned magic quickly from her father and Uncle Ricken. Carter learned magic as well, but was more interested in combat and tactics. It was a loving family, and Raven and Carter were very close to each other.

Also two years after Harper's birth, Ricken and Nowi gave birth to a son nearly a month before Raven's arrival. While Harper took after her mother, their son, Piers, was a mirrored image of his father. It was rather comedic that even though Harper was older, Piers acted as her bodyguard around the kingdom; if any boys gave her a hard time, here came Piers to her rescue. Harper gained the ability to shift into Manakete form, but Piers, unpredictably, did not. Instead, he showed magical prowess, and with Raven learned magic from his father and Uncle Henry.

Morgan and Noire had a son, whom they named Talon, whom was now three. He inherited the looks of his mother, but his behavioral traits from his father. It was heartwarming to see their family, and they appeared so happy. Talon made his mother come out of her shell slightly, and she always had a smile on her face. The future couples had children; they had come from a hell-bound future to here, where they were able to find love and start a family of their own.

Life was beautifully normal.

So, it was unexpected when Carter and Raven, and Harper and Piers ran up to Henry and Ricken before their school day began, confused looks on their faces. Raven's white braid and Harper's red ponytail swayed as they halted before their fathers.

"What's the matter, kiddos?" Henry questioned as he and Ricken looked down at them.

"We found this weird symbol!" Harper hastily spoke. "It's in an alley next to the school! Follow us!"

"Whoa there, slow down, sweetie," Ricken chuckled as he gently grabbed her shoulder to stop her from taking off. "Can't this wait till after school?"

"But it's really weird, Daddy!" Harper flustered. "You have to see it _now_!"

Henry looked at Carter, his customary smile on his face. "Think it's something we have to see now, Carter?"

Carter nodded. "I've never seen a sigil like it. Not even in your black tomes."

Henry raised an eyebrow. "When did you look in those? That's a no-no, squirt!"

"No-no? Dad, I'm not a little kid! Plus, you leave them lying about all the time!" Carter sighed impatiently, his arms crossed in a pout that made Henry laugh.

Raven reached up and tugged on Henry's sleeve. "Come on, Daddy!"

"All right, all right," Henry said with a chortle. "Lead us right to it."

Obedient, they children led them into the alley in which they had found the mysterious sigil. The moment Henry laid his eyes on it, he pulled the kids behind him, causing Ricken to do the same regardless if he was not exactly sure why. On the wall, in thick, black paint, was a magical array that Henry knew all too well what it was. He stepped toward it, Ricken staying back with the kids, and put his hands beside it, examining it more closely. No, it wasn't paint. It was tar. This person was no amateur in dark arts, that was assured.

Someone in Ylisse was a dark mage, and was playing a very dangerous game.

"Carter," Henry spoke, "I need you to take your sister, Harper, and Piers and find your mother at the castle. Send her here with Chrom, and stay at the castle, okay?"

"What's the matter, Uncle Henry?" Piers questioned.

Henry looked back at them and flashed a warm smile. "Nothing your father and I can't handle. Now, go."

Once the children were out of sight, Ricken made his way to Henry and inspected the sigil as well. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yes, sir! It's to summon Risen. This guy's a pro!" Henry sprightly replied. "Smell that? That's tar. Makes the beasties all the more powerful! Man, this is one hex of a spell, nya ha!"

Ricken felt is blood run cold. "H-Henry, this is bad. Someone in Ylisse is trying to summon Risen. What do we do?"

"Welp, tar is flammable, yeah? Torch the sucker!" Henry grinned.

"That doesn't just get rid of the problem, though. We need to find the person, and like now."

"Yeah, I know. But, we have to get rid of this thing first. Wouldn't want those bad boys running amok, right?"

"R-right," Ricken nodded as he took out a fire tome and opened it up. He waved a hand out, and the tar burst into flames. "Takes care of-"

"DADDY!" they heard Piers scream. Ricken grunted in shock, and he and Henry ran out of the alley to see Raven and Piers running toward them, terror on their faces. On ahead, they could see Harper in her Manakete form and Carter, fighting two Risen. Panicked, Henry threw up his arm, and crows swiftly enveloped him and carried him to the two children. When they scattered, Henry stood before them with Goetia in his hand, casting it immediately, killing the Risen. At this, he turned and knelt down, Harper transforming back to her human form, and examined the kids.

"You guys okay?" he asked. Both of them shook in fear as they silently nodded. Ricken, with weeping Raven and Piers in his arms, appeared beside Henry, concern on his face. He handed Raven to Henry, whom took her in his arms and held her as she cried on his shoulder. Ricken then looked over Harper, relieved that she was unharmed. "You two were awesome!" Henry praised, trying to make them feel better. "Those baddies didn't know what hit 'em!"

"Th-think so?" Carter stammered.

"Oh, yeah! Way to be heroes!" Ricken grinned as he rustled Harper's hair. Harper and Carter smiled.

Their joy was interrupted when they heard screaming in the distance. Henry rose to his knees, Raven still in his arms, and he and Ricken looked out into the area from whence it came. With horror did they realize that the sigil they had destroyed had not been the only one in the kingdom, and now, Risen were being summoned all around. How had they let this happen? How could they have let someone slip by completely undetected? It was no mystery that Ylisse was at odds again with Plegia. The past seven years, they had many misunderstandings. Plegians wanted to send some dark mages to Ylisse to train more people in dark magic, but Chrom wouldn't hear of it. Dark magic was an ambiguity, and in the wrong hands, it could be horribly erroneous. Then, Henry was brought up; Ylisse had a dark mage from Plegia already, so why could they not have more? Chrom argued that Henry was not and would not teach dark magic, was married to his tactician and had a family, and was well-liked by his people; he was the one exception. Angered, Plegians began to appeal to mages to have them transfer to their land, and some did leave. In all aspects, it was an inane squabble, but nonetheless growing in heat day by day. It was only a matter of time before a battle would ensue.

And this could very well be the start of it.

Henry and Ricken locked eyes, realizing their worst fears.

"Ricken, I need you to take the little tykes to shelter," Henry ordered as he handed Raven back to his best friend. "I'm gonna do some dismemberment!"

"You got it," Ricken agreed. "Come on, kids."

With Ricken leading the children to safety, Henry started off in the direction the cries erupted from. On the way there, he killed a few stray Risen, meeting some of Frederick's recruits and soldiers along the way. When he reached the area the screams came from, he was glad to see Stahl and Lissa, Frederick and Panne, and Gaius and Sully already there. Emma and her husband, Quinn, were there as well to join the fight and to protect people. Just as Henry was ready to cast a spell-

"Sorry I'm late!" Elena said as she ran past him and to a Risen, which she killed immediately.

Henry grinned deviously as he cast Goetia, killing several Risen. "Leave it to you to have the best entrance ever!"

Elena jumped back to her husband's side, her sword held out in front of her. "What can I say? I've always had a flair for the dramatic."

They fought alongside each other, thinking back to the days during the war. Chrom and Sumia had shown up with Elena, and this was astonishing to see that Sumia had picked up her lance again in order to fight with her husband and friends to protect her people. With so many helping, the Risen were defeated in no time, and Lissa and Sumia began to help the wounded. Emma had received a blow from a Risen that had made a small wound on her shoulder, and thankfully, no one else was wounded badly, either. Elena put her sword in its sheath and turned to Chrom.

"What is going on?" she asked aloud.

"It wasn't me!" Henry piped up, a nervous grin on his face.

"I know better than to accuse you, Henry," Chrom denied. "But where in gods' names did they come from?"

"The kids found a sigil," Henry spoke. "They took us to it- you should have seen it! It was made perfectly! Props to the sucker who did it! Anyway, we got rid of it, but there were more around the city."

Stahl hopped off his horse and gently stroked its mane. "You don't think Plegia has infiltrated, do you, Chrom?"

Chrom furrowed his eyebrows. "It seems that way. We'll certainly have to be on the lookout." He turned his attention to Frederick. "Frederick, I want you and your knights to be on guard at all times. Also, see if you can find the rest of the sigils Henry spoke of."

"Yeah, you won't find 'em," Henry smirked, his finger held up for emphasis. "Once the summoning has been completed, the arrays disappear. It's too bad. I wanted to study them."

With an exhale that held irritation in it, Chrom sheathed Falchion. "Well, Henry, looks like it's up to you."

Henry leaned his head to the side. "Muh?"

"You know how the Plegian military works better than any of us," Chrom began. "I want you to keep your eye open for anything that may look suspicious."

"Whoa, hold on there, Mr. Prince-Sir!" Henry chimed. "It's been over ten years since I left Plegia. I'm sure they changed lots over the years."

"True, but there are also things they have not changed," Frederick sided with Chrom. "We're counting on you, Henry."

When they returned home, they were comforted to see that Ricken and Nowi had taken the kids and hid them in the cellar while they defended the home from the outside. They thanked their friends for protecting their children and went inside the house and into the cellar to find Carter with his sword drawn and Harper in her Manakete form at the bottom of the stairs. Once they saw that all was safe, Carter sheathed his sword and Harper transformed back to her human self. They noticed that they did not see Raven and Piers, and when they found them, they were hiding under a desk. Henry was delighted to see that, just in case, Raven had drawn a magical sigil in the dirt that would cast a powerful paralyzing hex on the poor soul who stepped on it.

Before supper, Henry took a brief nap so that he would be able to stay up all night on the lookout for any suspicious activity. Both worn out from what they had endured earlier, Carter and Raven fell asleep in his arms; it was times such as these that made Elena so happy. Once night fell, Henry gave Elena a gentle kiss and opened the door to leave- he jerked when he saw Ricken and Stahl standing there, waiting for him.

"Um?"

"Sorry," Ricken chuckled lightly. "We should have told you, but we're gonna help you in the watch."

"You don't need to be out alone," Stahl smiled.

"Hey, neat-o! I can practice some new hexes I've been learning to pass the time! Er, that is, if you guys are interested."

"Sorry, Henry, I think I'll pass," Stahl anxiously grinned. Ricken nodded at Stahl's statement, and Henry sighed in defeat.

"Fine. They're really cool, though. Anywho, let's go!"

They were up all night on the lookout for any signs of Plegians sneaking in. By the time daylight broke, they were exhausted and slightly disappointed that they had not seen anyone. Of course, they did not find this odd; after what had occurred the day before, they more than likely knew Ylisse would be on edge, so they would wait a couple of days to play it safe, then strike again. Henry and Ricken called off school for the following week so that they could sleep some, and the students did not mind at all. Three nights passed by, and with the same results. During the day, Frederick and his knights didn't see anything out of the ordinary, either, but they knew it was only a matter of time until something happened.

The fourth night, it was almost the same until the sun just started to peak over the mountains. Ricken nudged Henry's shoulder and pointed down the wall; a hooded figure with climbing tools was scaling down the wall. Just as they started down the stairs to head out of the kingdom to stop the person, a bright red light was seen in various locations, and merely moments later, they could hear the moans of Risen as they made their way about the kingdom. Stahl's horse was at the bottom of the stairs, so he jumped on and took off to find the bugle to sound the alarm, thankful it was nearby. Henry and Ricken pulled out their tomes to prepare for battle and went their separate ways to their homes to warn their families. As they ran, the bugle sounded, relaying the message of an attack.

Chaos ensued. Once Henry reached the house, Elena was already outside, still in her sleepwear, her sword in her hands.

"No!" she called out to him before he fully reached her. "Go after the infiltrator! I'll take care of things here!"

He shook his head. "I'm not leaving you to fight these things alone."

"She won't be alone!" he heard Nowi cheerfully speak behind him. He turned to see Ricken and Nowi running toward them. "She'll have only the bravest, meanest, scariest dragon fighting with her!"

"Nowi, that's so not even you," Ricken grinned. He looked at Henry, and his grin transformed to a serious scowl. "Stahl's got some horses for us, Henry. If he's on foot, maybe we can catch him, but we gotta hurry!"

"You got it," Henry nodded. He threw his hand up in the air, and above him, crows began to circle in the air. Head leaned upward to see them, he smiled at his friends. "All right, guys. I need you to help fight the bad guys. Show them that crows are nothing to laugh at!"

At this time, Stahl rode up on his horse, two horses tied by the side. Ricken and Henry untied the horses and hopped on; before they rode off, they gave their wives a glance that expressed love and concern. Right as they rode away, their wives engaged in battle with Risen. Knowing their wives could defend themselves, the three chose to focus on reaching the infiltrator in time. As they neared the gate, they could see Emma and her husband at the turners, raising the gate for them. Stahl nodded in thanks as they rode by, and ahead, they could see the person fleeing, and they sped up their pace.

"So, what's the plan?" Stahl questioned.

"I've got one," Ricken started in reply. "Stahl, Henry, you two cut him off from the sides. I'll go straight toward him. I'm sure he'll have tomes of some sort, so watch out for that. Oh, and don't hurt him. We need to take him with us to ask him questions."

"Aww…" Henry groaned, disappointed.

"Okay, let's do this!" Ricken ordered.

Stahl and Henry steered their horses on outward to the side, nearly twenty feet away from Ricken. They sped up their speed even more, but not so much as to cause exhaustion or harm to their steeds. Unexpectedly, the person skid to a stop and turned around, a black tome in his hands. He opened it up and traced his hand along the pages then threw the hand upward in the sky.

"What's he doing?" Stahl wondered aloud.

About ten yards in front of Henry and Stahl, magical arrays appeared in the sky, and red light burst from them. Out of them, Risen fell onto the ground, rose to their feet, and began to charge. A laugh erupted from Henry's mouth.

"No way!" he awed. "This is one remarCAWble dark mage!"

The Risen reached them and began to grab at their legs. Stahl slashed his sword at them, and Henry cast Goetia, but there were too many, and they were pulled off their horses to the ground. Even though he was worried about his friends, he didn't look back or slow down- Ricken knew this person had to be stopped. He withdrew a Wind tome; hopefully, he could just knock the person off his feet and slow him down. Hastily, he opened the tome and cast a Wind spell just powerful enough to knock the person down. Just as it was to hit him, the person closed his tome and threw his hand out, a massive black claw emitting from it and dissipating the spell; however, it was not finished there. Before Ricken had time to react, the dark claw hit the horse and Ricken. The horse shot forward and flung Ricken off, whom hit the ground and rolled over four times and slid a few feet, finally coming to a stop facedown. Henry and Stahl saw this, and horror filled their chests.

"RICKEN!" Henry yelled as he tried to fight his way to his best friend.

Delirious from the attack, Ricken fought to stay conscious. He felt someone grab him by the hair and lift his head up, causing him to grunt in pain. His entire body screamed in agony, and now this person was holding him up by his hair as a sign of mockery. Through the blood, he could see that the hooded person was looking down at him. Was this it? Finally able to fully open his eyes, the rising sun helped him to see the person, whom was just as shocked as he was. His lungs felt as though the air in them had turned to steel, and as he opened his mouth to speak, the person gently laid him to the ground, turned, and ran into the nearby forest. Henry and Stahl defeated the remaining Risen and hurried over to Ricken, whom was making an effort to sit up on his knees.

"Ricken! Oh, gods, you're hurt!" Stahl panicked.

While normally, Henry would have made jokes about blood at a time like this, it was certainly not the time now. He was deeply worried about Ricken as he looked him over. On Ricken's left hand, his middle and index fingers were gone down to below the nail. A gash was on his forehead that bled immensely, and he was covered in scrapes, dirt, and bruises. Surely, there may have been some broken bones or sprains as well. His apparel was also torn in various places; he would be unable to mend those clothes. He needed help five minutes ago.

"I'm fine. Go after her," Ricken winced. Nauseated, he doubled over with his right arm on his stomach.

"Not a chance!" Henry argued. "Come on, we're taking you to get help."

"I said I'm fine!" Ricken yelled, frustrated that because of him, they were going to lose sight of the infiltrator. "We'll lose her if you don't go!"

"And we'll lose you if we do!" Stahl pointed out. He looked around to see that Ricken's horse had been killed by the person's attack. Luckily, his and Henry's horse survived. With a whistle, he called the horses to them, and Henry lifted Ricken onto his horse before he mounted it as well. They began to ride back to Ylisse, and before Ricken could stop himself, he leaned over the side and threw up. Henry patted Ricken's back once he was through, and Ricken wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

"Hey," he weakly croaked as he leaned his head back on Henry's chest for support. He was so weak and tired from blood loss, and Henry and Stahl only hoped they could get him help in time.

"Hmm?" Henry said, not minding Ricken's action at all.

"I know who the infiltrator is," Ricken nearly whispered. "It's…" He said nothing more, signifying to Henry that he had slipped into unconsciousness.


	22. Darkened Heart Part Two

_*Sorry this one took so long, guys. I was busy again._

This one is significantly longer than the others, too, but there was a lot to cover.* 

Ylisse was in shambles.

So many Risen had been summoned that an all-out battle had ensued, leaving many innocents wounded. The gods must have been smiling upon them that no one lost their lives in the onslaught; however, there was so much destruction that it would take time to rebuild the kingdom. People were frightened and confused, and Chrom felt helpless as he watched them suffer so. With a heavy heart, he went around his kingdom to help in any and every way he could, Sumia and his children by his side. Frederick and Panne, Gaius and Sully, Stahl, Vaike, and Emma and Quinn, along with the rest of the knights and mages, assisted as well; Lissa was nearly tiring herself out from healing so many people at once, and Stahl kept a close eye on her to make sure she did not exhaust herself.

Outside of Ricken's room in the clinic, Henry and Elena sat with the children; Nowi was in the room with her husband as Lissa and Maribelle attempted to do whatever they could for him. Harper wept on Elena's shoulder, and Elena held her hand and rubbed it gently to console her. Piers simply sat stoic beside Carter, his face void of emotion. Henry sat just as quietly, the smile on his face gone. Worried about her husband, with her other hand, she reached and held onto Henry's hand. His mind replayed the attack the dark mage had unleashed on Ricken many times, and he tried to make sense of it all. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the door open and saw Maribelle step out of the room. Immediately, Harper jumped to her feet, her eyes full of distress.

"Is Daddy gonna be okay?" she hurriedly asked.

Maribelle smiled gently at her. "He certainly will, Harper. It will just take time."

As soon as Maribelle relayed this news to her, they could see the stress off Harper's little body alleviate with the breath she exhaled. "I'm glad, then…" she smiled.

"Can we go see him?" Piers quietly asked.

"You may," Maribelle nodded. "But, understand that he was hurt, and some of his injuries may come as a shock to you."

"I don't care," Harper said as she shook her head. "I just wanna see him."

Maribelle stepped to the side and allowed Ricken's children to enter the room. She looked over at Henry and Elena and nudged her head toward the room, signaling to them that they could enter as well. They obliged, and Elena thanked Maribelle as they walked by her. Inside the room, they could see Ricken on the bed, covers up to his waist. His hand was bandaged to his forearm, and despite the fact that the tips of his middle and ring finger were gone, the children paid it no mind as it lay across his bare torso that was also bandaged. Around his head was bandaged as well, and he had been cleaned. The smaller cuts had been treated, and they could see the bruises that weren't covered. Nowi sat on a chair by his side, her hand around the uninjured one; her eyes were red, and they could tell she had been crying.

"Daddy?" Piers called.

Ricken looked from the window to his children and smiled lovingly at them. "Hey, kiddos. You came to see me looking like this?"

"You look fine, Daddy," Harper sniffed as she tried to wipe her tears away.

Seeing his family upset like this broke Ricken's heart. "Why are you crying, sweetie?"

"Because you…" she couldn't finish.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Ricken weakly laughed. "Give me a couple days, and I'll be playing with you again. So no more tears. Okay?"

All her tears finally wiped away, she and Piers both smiled at Ricken. "Okay!"

"Now, come here and give me a hug," Ricken told them, to which they complied, and gently so as to not hurt him by accident. Once they released each other, he smiled at them again. "I need to talk to Mama and Henry and Elena now. You kids wait outside." When the children walked out the door and closed it behind them, he turned his attention over to Henry. He could plainly see the guilt on his best friend's face, regardless of the smile he had on his face. "Don't look at me like that, Henry. I'm okay."

"No broken bones? You had a little dismemberment, so I just wanna be sure," Henry asked in a joking tone.

"Just a couple ribs. Pretty fortunate, considering," Ricken chuckled. He then looked down at his injured hand, his eyes full of thought and sadness. "Sorry I kept you and Stahl from catching her."

"You're still thinking about that? You gotta let that stuff go," Henry waved off his friend's sadness. "We'll get her."

"Wait a minute. Her?" Elena asked.

"Oh, yeah. We were in a hurry, and I completely forgot to ask you about that, Ricken," Henry said. "There's something else I wanna ask you, too. Why didn't she finish the job? I mean, she had you by your hair. She totally could have killed you."

"Please stop talking like that…" Nowi whimpered.

"Ah, right. Sorry, Nowi," Henry apologized.

Ricken was silent a moment, deep in thought. In his mind, he could see her eyes focused on his, brimming with fear and regret. Even thought that moment had merely lasted seconds, it felt as though it had lasted hours. How could he possibly tell them when he barely understood himself? No one spoke, waiting for his reply that he was hesitant to give.

"I thought that, too, Henry," he quietly began. "As she had me by the hair, I wondered what was holding her back. You're right. She could have killed me, easily, especially with the kind of power she has. But, when I saw her eyes on mine, I knew then why she hesitated." His wounded hand twitched slightly. "She hesitated because… because she didn't want to kill me."

"What do you mean?" Elena asked. "Did she just lose her nerve?"

Ricken shook his head. "It's not that." His hand twitched again. _He_ was the one losing his nerve… "Don't you see? The one who has been infiltrating is Rivani."

They felt as though they had been punched in the gut. Elena could see the pain in her husband's eyes as he took a step back from shock, and she grabbed onto his arm to steady him.

"Say that again?" Henry commanded, thinking he hadn't heard him say right.

"I'm sorry, Henry… I didn't want to believe it, either," Ricken nearly whispered. "That's why she hesitated. She didn't mean to hurt me like that… and when she saw my face, she panicked and ran away."

Nowi began to cry. "She's alive? But why would she hurt you and us? She loved you! Loved us!"

Ricken rubbed his thumb on the back of her hand. "She didn't mean to hurt me. Her attack was out of control."

"It doesn't make sense," Elena murmured. "Why is she attacking Ylisse? Tobias and Anora are here. What if they had been harmed?"

"She's getting back at me," Henry spoke up. All three looked at him to see his fists clenched, and for once, they could truly see what he felt. "I wouldn't teach her, and she found someone in Plegia who would. It's as though she's challenging me to a duel to show me what she's learned."

"Why would she do that? Why would she put people in harm's way to do so?" Elena questioned. "I never knew her to do that. Every time she inadvertently cast magic at someone, she would feel badly for doing so and apologize frantically."

"Because she knows I'll track her down," Henry replied. "She believes that she is the more powerful dark mage now, and she wants to test me."

"But to hurt people to get your attention? That's not her at all!" Nowi sobbed. "She's a big meanie! A bully! She hurt Ricken just to prove a point! Someone she loved dearly!"

"Nowi, love, listen to me," Ricken affectionately said. "She didn't mean to hurt me. I'm not upset at all."

"She betrayed you!"

"I know," Ricken nodded, "but, you have to understand. Plegia more than likely gave her no restraints in dark magic. We helped her gain control, but if I know them, they urged her to break her boundaries, no matter what. If you'd have seen the look in her eyes, you would know what I mean."

Elena could understand Nowi's bitterness toward Rivani; if Rivani had hurt Henry, she would have been enraged as well. It almost felt as though they had been smacked in the face. After everything they had done for her, especially Henry and Ricken, and this is how she repaid them? By fleeing to Plegia, learning dark magic, and using it against them? They knew she was frustrated at Henry for refusing to teach her, but how could she do this as retaliation? Something didn't necessarily add up, and it confused them deeply. Elena wondered how Henry felt as she looked at him to see a half-smile on his face.

"…What do we do now?" Nowi whispered. "We can't… we can't hurt her. She's our friend."

"You're right," Elena nodded. "We have to save her. I think she's just confused and being used. I'm certain that once we talk to her, we can fix this."

"We'd better let Ricken get some rest," Henry spoke. "He looks beat."

When Elena looked at Ricken, she could see that Henry was right. "Sorry, Ricken. We kept you awake too long. Don't worry, Harper and Piers can stay with us tonight. I'm sure the kids will love to have a sleepover. Get some rest."

As they turned to head out the door, Ricken turned his head and looked at Henry. "Henry," he called. Henry stopped and turned halfway to see a smile on his best friend's face. "Thank you for taking care of me. I'm sorry."

Henry shook his head. "Why are you sorry? I was the one who let you down. It won't happen again. Next time, there will be blood, nya ha!"

At home that night, after the children were tucked into bed and fast asleep, Elena noticed that Henry was not inside the home, so she stepped outside to find him sitting on the steps, leaned back on his hands. Silently, she sat down beside him and leaned back on her hands as well, one of them overlapping one of Henry's. They could hear the cicadas singing in the distance, but other than that, all was still in the kingdom. The moon and stars shone brightly in the nighttime sky, and it was a truly beautiful night. It was so odd to see after everything that had occurred that day.

Elena looked down at her ring that was worn from years of fighting, training, and working. Nonetheless, she was proud to have it after all this time. As the years went by, she and Henry had endured much together, had their children, and loved all the more. Now, as the future seemed so uncertain, she knew that whatever came, they would face it together, just as they had always done. He had changed little over the years, becoming slightly more serious but still holding onto his quirky attitude and smile, and while they had aged, they found themselves to be just as striking as they had been when they first met. Their children meant more to them than they could ever express, and they would gladly lay their lives down for them if it ever came to it. They thought that they could never love anyone as much as they loved each other, but when it came to Carter and Raven, that was proven wrong.

With a small sigh, she laid her head down in his lap and closed her eyes. He put one arm over her chest, and for a while, nothing was said.

"Are you okay?" she finally asked.

"Yup! Why do you ask?"

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Henry, it's okay to be sad after what happened today."

Henry kept his eyes on the horizon. "Well… to be honest, I do feel a little betrayed. But, hey, I'm sure Ricken does, too. He was the one that got blasted, not me." He gave Elena's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I'm angrier at myself than anything. If I had just taught her, none of this would have happened. Ricken and people wouldn't have been hurt, and her parents would still have their daughter."

"Is that why you've been teaching Raven?" Elena questioned. At this question, Henry looked down at his wife.

"The minute I saw the power within her, I knew what I had to do," Henry replied. "I didn't want her to resent her dear old man. She's also pretty beastly at it. Do you know what I found when we got the children out of the basement? She had drawn a paralysis sigil in the dirt. She's gonna be one hex of a dark mage!"

"With you as her teacher, she surely will be," Elena giggled. "I'm glad you found a way to teach her without putting her through torment. I know it's going to take longer than normal this way, but it's better than the alternative."

"Oh, yeah! Don't want her to be CAW-crazy like her father who can't feel any pain!" Henry laughed.

"That's not what I meant," Elena said.

"I know," he winked at her. "But that's what I meant." He ran his fingers through her hair. She loved it when he did that, and often, that was how she would fall asleep at night. "How's Carter's training coming along?"

"It's going great," Elena answered. "Stahl is doing a fine job teaching him at the school, and I give him direction in tactics. He's really fast on his feet."

"I saw that when he and Harper fought Risen a few days back," Henry nodded. "He's gonna be an awesome fighter!"

"I think so, too," Elena agreed with a small laugh. She then decided to ask the question she was afraid to. "Henry… what are we going to do about Rivani?"

At this, Henry looked away from her and back to the sky. "I'll have to think of something. I just don't wanna let her down again, you know?"

Elena smiled sadly at him. "We'll save her, Henry. I know we will."

Henry's eyes redirected back to her, concern in them. "No way, Elena. Her dark magic is powerful. I want you to stay here with the tykes."

Elena shook her head. "We started this together eleven years ago, Henry, and that's how we'll finish it. Wherever you go, I go."

She felt his hand wrap around her hand and give it a gentle squeeze. "I want you safe."

"I will be," Elena said. "I can take care of myself. You know this."

"Elena-"

"No matter what you say, you of all people should know how stubborn I am," Elena winked at him. "We'll do this together."

For a moment, Henry just stared at her with a peculiar look on his face. She wasn't sure what else he would say or do, but she received her answer when he took his hand that was wrapped around hers and laced his fingers through her own. His customary smile appeared on his face.

"You always were a crazy lady," he sighed.

"You know it," Elena laughed.

Two weeks passed by without any sign of Rivani. They decided to let her parents know that she was alive, but they left the part out that she was the one who summoned the Risen and had harmed Ricken. Tobias and Anora were tearfully happy as they embraced each other. Years of doubt and heartache were behind them, and all they wanted was for their daughter to come home. Henry promised that he would bring her home safe and sound, which surprised Elena; Henry rarely made promises unless he was certain he could keep them. Ricken healed day by day, and his body was justifiably sore. He would forever have a reminder of what had occurred between him and Rivani whenever he looked at his hand, but he did not seem to mind. At least he was alive. To be safe, he stayed at the infirmary so that Lissa or Maribelle could keep an eye on him; Nowi would return home at night to watch the children, whom during the day would go to school or stay with Henry and Elena. They would visit their father as much as they could, and that gave him the strength to heal faster. Finally, after two and a half weeks, he was able to leave the infirmary and return home. On that same day, Carter came home with a fearful look on his face that concerned his parents.

"What's wrong, kiddo?" Henry asked. "You look like you just found my preserved Risen arm again, nya ha!"

"I thought you got rid of that?" Elena questioned, her eyebrow arched.

"Did I say that? I didn't say that," Henry anxiously grinned.

At that time, Raven walked up to him and stood on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. "Don't worry, Daddy. I won't tell her it's under my bed, okay?"

"Good girl," Henry whispered back at her.

"What was that?" Elena interrogated, her hand on her hip for emphasis.

Henry shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about. Anyway, what's the prob, Carter?"

"I think I saw the infiltrator again." Henry bolted up from his chair, and Elena nearly dropped her stirring spoon. With one step, Henry had reached his son and started looking him over for wounds. "Um, Dad?"

"Did she hurt you? Do you feel funny?"

"She didn't hex or curse me, Dad. You drilled the signs of hexes and curses into my brain so I know what to look for, and she didn't do it. She wasn't doing anything other than walking around," Carter answered as Henry stopped examining him.

"Where was she, Carter?" Elena questioned.

"Near Ricken and Nowi's place," Carter replied.

It stunned Carter and Raven to see their parents ready for battle so quickly. Before they even had time to blink, their parents had changed to their battle garments (Henry in his Sorcerer robes, and Elena in her Hero attire) and had their weapons in hand.

"Carter, Raven, we want you to stay here," Elena ordered softly. "Go in the cellar, okay?"

"Mama, what's wrong?" Raven asked.

Elena turned and gave Raven and reassuring smile. "Nothing, baby. Just do what your brother says while we're gone. We'll be right back."

As they headed out the door, Henry glanced back at Carter, a smile on his face as well. "Look after your sister, Carter."

"Yes, sir!" Carter nodded.

Outside, Henry and Elena began to hastily make their way to Ricken and Nowi's house; they didn't run, because the last thing they wanted to do was to cause unnecessary panic. It was a change to see Henry back in his Sorcerer robes. Still as lean and muscular as he was when they first met, they both had attained Frederick's Fanatical Fitness Hour even after all the years that had passed. Some ladies stared at her husband, and Elena merely smiled. She couldn't blame them for admiring him, for she did every day. Her thoughts returned to the issue at hand as she stared ahead.

"You don't think she'll hurt him, do you?" she asked.

"Hurt him? Nah, she felt too bad about it last time," Henry spoke in his usual cheerful tone. "But, I'm not sure what she'll do. She may summon Risen again, and that's bad."

"Yeah, that's bad," Elena agreed. "We have to stop her. Maybe Nowi will see her and talk some sense into her. Ricken is still healing, and we can't let him get hurt again."

"Ricken's fine," Henry grinned. "He's a big boy now, Elena. You don't need to worry about him anymore."

"I know that," Elena blushed from embarrassment. Despite Ricken being twenty-six years old, she still thought of him as her kid brother that she needed to keep safe. "I can't help it. Anyway, we're wasting time. Let's go!"

At Ricken and Nowi's house, he had chosen to go outside for some fresh air and to walk. Lissa and Maribelle encouraged him to walk around as much as he could to heal faster, and he had grown slightly weak while he was in the infirmary. Nowi stayed in the house with Harper and Piers, knowing Ricken was strong enough now to go on his own. As he passed by an alleyway, he could feel someone staring at him further in, and it caused him to stop. Without even calling out to the person or taking a step in, he knew who it was. Without any vacillation, he entered the alleyway to see a hooded figure at the end of it. A smile spread on Ricken's face as he stared at the figure, whom kept their head bowed.

"You don't have to hide your face from me, Rivani. I saw it before. Remember?"

She felt her body jerk. Despite what she had done to him, he smiled at her, and his voice was warm and tender. With shaky hands, she reached up and removed her hood to reveal her face. She had kept her black hair long, and it loosely hung down her back. Eyes still midnight blue, the innocence that had once shone in them was long gone, and the scar on her chin made him recognize it was truly her. She had matured into a beautiful young woman, but it stunned Ricken to see that there was no life in her eyes. He recalled long ago that Henry had told her to learn dark magic would take years of torment on the soul, and it pained him to think about what she had to endure to learn it. Regardless, he maintained his smile as she avoided his gaze.

"It's great to see you after all these years," he spoke. "We never once thought you dead, but still… now that you're here, we're happy to see you. You've grown into a beautiful woman."

"How… can you say that?" she nearly whispered. He saw her eyes move to his bandaged hand. "I hurt you so…"

"We know you had no intention of causing any harm," Ricken stated as he took a step forward. "I saw it in your eyes when you looked at me."

"Nowi hates me, doesn't she?" she asked. "I can't blame her."

"Nowi doesn't hate you. Nowi couldn't hate anyone, even if she tried," Ricken chuckled.

"Do… do you hate me, Ricken?"

Ricken took another step forward. He had to be cautious, but he also had to be bold. "You know me better than that. I am disappointed, though. Why are you doing this? What could you possibly gain?"

"I… What does Henry think?"

"Henry thinks the same as me," Ricken answered. "He's worried about you."

"Liar," Rivani bitterly snapped. "He doesn't care."

Ricken took another step. "That's not true."

"He hates me."

"That's not true, either," Ricken softly dejected. "He loves you. We all love you. We just want you to come home."

Rivani let out a small, dark laugh. "That's a joke. After what I've done and will do… There is no home for me."

"What about your parents?" Ricken brought up. He could see something flicker in Rivani's eyes. His words were reaching her. "Don't you know how much they miss you? How much they still love you and want you to come home?"

"I… Do they know?"

"That you're the infiltrator? No," Ricken replied.

"Henry didn't tell them?"

"No one's told them."

"I see."

"Don't you see?" Ricken asked as he took another step forward, closing the distance all the more. "Just come back. We'll help you."

Rivani's eyes darkened as she shook her head. "You mean how you helped me seven years ago? How I wanted- _needed_- to learned dark magic, and I was denied that because of someone's fear?"

"That wasn't it at all, Rivani," Ricken carefully argued. "He just-"

"He's teaching his daughter dark magic, but he refused to teach me. He refused!"

_Crud_. She knew. "He needed time to find a way without putting you through torture."

Rivani looked up at last, her eyes telling him she was not in the mood to negotiate anything. "Well, I was tortured. I begged, pleaded, cried… but he always refused me." She held her hands out to her sides, and flames of darkness ignited in them and danced in the palms. "In the end, I was taught by someone better, stronger. And in the end, we'll see who was in the right and who was in the wrong."

"Rivani, no," he firmly said. "This is not the answer. Just come with me, and you can talk to Henry yourself."

"Don't make me laugh," she lashed out. "Nothing is ever accomplished just by talking. Hands must be dirtied and blood must be shed if a true statement is to be made. I have already made my statement. Now it's time for Henry to make his."

"He did! So many years ago!" Ricken cried out. "This is the very thing he wanted to keep you from! Just talk to him, please!"

"I WON'T BE HELD BACK ANY LONGER!" Rivani yelled, the flames in her hands increasing. "And unless you want to die, then stay out of my way!"

"Rivani!" they heard Nowi call out.

Ricken looked behind him to see Nowi, Dragonstone+ in hand. "Nowi, no! Stay away!"

"Forget it!" Nowi said as she ran to her husband's side. "We're in this together." She then looked at Rivani. "Rivani, you have to stop this! Being a meanie won't solve anything! All we want is for you to come back. We miss you!"

Rivani shook her head, visibly frustrated. The flames in her hands disappeared. "Stop!"

"No one is mad at you," Nowi smiled at her. "Not even me. Our children want to meet you, so if you come home-"

"STOP TALKING!" Rivani screamed, her hands covering her ears. Nowi gripped her Dragonstone+ harder; this time, she would protect Ricken, no matter what. "I've had enough! I'm going _nowhere_ until I do what I came to do!"

"You know what this means, right?" Nowi asked. "People will fight you!"

"If that's what it takes, I'm ready!"

Nowi felt tears sting her eyes, but she knew what she had to do. "If that's the way it is, then so be it." She held her Dragonstone+ in the air, and in a burst of light transformed into a manakete. "But I'm not going to let you hurt Ricken ever again!"

Rivani's heart beat out of her chest, and the dark flames returned in her hands. "Don't hold back, you two… Because I can't, either…" she said under her breath to where they couldn't hear.

"Ricken? Nowi?" they heard Elena call.

"In here!" Ricken yelled. Rivani felt the flames of rage ignite in her chest when she saw Henry and Elena run into the alleyway. While she wanted nothing more than to fight Henry, she knew she had no chance in a narrow alleyway, so she turned to run. It stunned them to see her run so fast.

"Wait!" Elena cried out. She and Henry ran past Ricken and Nowi. "You two stay here! We'll get her!"

They chased after Rivani in the narrow alleyways that twisted and turned throughout the city. Rivani would glance back every now and then, and if she saw them closing the distance, she would speed up or use boxes, crates, anything to slow them down. Of course, they didn't use any attacks against her, for they refused to hurt her.

Elena glanced at Henry. "Henry, I give you permission to use your crows."

"Hex yes!" Henry grinned. He skid to a stop, but Elena kept running. He threw his arm up in the air, and a flock of grows enveloped him and carried him to where he was now in front of Rivani. She gasped and made a quick pivot to see Elena nearly ten feet away from her, closing distance. Her eyes filled with doubt and horror, and just as Henry went to grab her, she closed her eyes and blindly shot out a ball of dark energy, which struck Elena's face and knocked her off her feet, a cry of shock and pain erupting from her. She then ran by Elena and out of sight.

"Elena!" Henry cried out as he ran to her. She was on her side, and her arm covered her face, but he could see blood on the pavement. He turned her over and held her in his arms, and he was relieved to see that she had only been rendered unconscious. Her mouth and nose both bled, and he knew straightaway that her nose was broken. As gently as he could, he picked her up and began to carry her to the infirmary. Ricken and Nowi had made their way to them, regardless of their order for them to stay behind, and when they saw Elena, they were deeply worried.

"Is she okay? What happened?" Nowi asked.

"She'll be fine," Henry answered. He kept glancing around the kingdom while traversing to the infirmary for any sign of Rivani, but she was long gone.

Now, he was upset at her. Words had failed to reach her, and he knew that the time for talk was over. He hated what he was resorted to do.


End file.
